Shades of Darkness
by Aaron Nowack
Summary: Welcome to the end of the world. The sequel to Shades of Gray.
1. Prologue: In the Hall of the Dark Queen

Shades of Darkness  
A Sailor Moon Fanfic  
By: Aaron Nowack

Prologue: In the Hall of the Dark Queen

"_Darkness over Sodom  
Darkness in the light  
Darkness over yonder  
Darkness never ending  
The absolute destiny: apocalypse_"

- Revolutionary Girl Utena, "Absolute Destiny Apocalypse" 

  


* * *

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is owned by Naoko Takeuchi, whose creative talents far exceed my most humble own. Distribution and other rights to Sailor Moon belong to lots of different companies that I do not own. I make or imply no claim to ownership of Sailor Moon or its characters. However, the text of this fanfic is mine, and should not be used without permission. Thank you.

* * *

"Sometimes I can't believe things worked out so well."

"I never doubted they would."

"Of course not." The speaker laughed, his fingers drumming on the stone table. "You wouldn't."

"You shouldn't have either." One hand caressed a well-worn tome. "The prophecy foretold our victory."

Nyxan grinned toothily. "The prophecy foretold our Great Leader's return. Of us it said nothing. There were others who might have taken our place."

Ishamanar shook his head. "Who? Jadeite? The Dragons? None of them had any wish to bring about Great Metallia's return. They were only concerned with picking scraps of flesh from the bones of Beryl's kingdom."

"Perhaps. The matter is of no import now." Nyxan's own hand lightly tapped the cover of the Metallian Codex. "Is there a new prophecy to guide us now?"

"No." Ishamanar picked the tome up from where it lay in the center of the table. "The time for prophecy is over. Now, Great Metallia herself guides us to our final triumph."

"So may it be." Nyxan settled back into his seat, but a worried look still marred his face. "It has been three weeks. Three weeks, and we have done nothing."

"Hardly nothing. All the Overlords, even those from the West, have come to pay homage to our Queen. Thousands upon thousands upon thousands of youma gather now, waiting for the time to strike. Not a soul stirs in this land that does not do so to serve Great Metallia."

"What of the Air Dragon?"

Ishamanar waved a hand. "Kyrien? He must be dead. Loriel has scoured the four corners of the world for him, and found no sign."

"Perhaps. But what could have slain him?" Ishamanar did not answer, and after a moment Nyxan sighed. "It is Terra I speak of. Three weeks, and not even a single drone has passed through the portals. I would not question our Queen, but I must wonder why we wait so long. We are ready to strike, and have been since days after her return."

"You say you do not question, but it is questions I hear in your voice."

"You know me too well, I fear. I suppose I worry overmuch."

Ishamanar shook his head. "No. We would not be good Generals if we did not worry. Nonetheless, we must trust in Great Metallia, as we always have."

"So we must."

"It does irk me, though," Ishamanar continued. "Those Senshi must think me a coward, for I fled when they first saw me, and I have not shown my face to them again since."

"If they think you a coward, all the better." Nyxan smiled. "The two of us have always been underestimated, and it has always served us well."

"You are right." Ishamanar paused. "I too worry, though. All the armies gathering here cannot stay for long before they turn on each other for energy. These wastelands are not fit to house such a host."

"I suspect that may be why Beryl built the palace here, so none could bring an army large enough to siege it." Nyxan fingers resumed their drumming. "You are right though. Some Overlord may do something rash. I will set some of my youma on ensuring none does."

"It is not only Overlords we must worry about," Ishamanar said.

"Neither Dragon would even breathe, should it displease Great Metallia, but Jadeite I am not so sure of," Nyxan stated. "He seems loyal now, but I wonder how deep that loyalty runs."

"Asphara is watching him," Ishamanar replied. "So far, he does not plot against our Great Leader. If he should, he will die before that scheme can be realized."

"And then there is... her." Nyxan hissed out the last, and his red eyes glowed softly.

"The Senshi." Ishamanar's words hung in the air heavily.

"Great Metallia keeps her too close for my comfort," Nyxan said.

"And yet too far. Twice she has vanished, and Great Metallia said not a word." Ishamanar paused. "Still, our Queen's silence tells me those disappearances were according to her plan."

Nyxan noticed his claws had extended, and he slowly retracted them. "I suppose. Yet, Queen Beryl thought Prince Endymion her loyal servant. I understand she learned otherwise, at the end."

"Beryl was nothing but a shadow of our Queen."

The door of the small chamber suddenly swung open, revealing Jadeite, who strode into the room. Nyxan rose, making no effort to hide the fact that his claws had re-extended. "It is hardly polite to enter without knocking, Jadeite," he said, somehow managing to shout the lack of a title before the human's name.

Jadeite's face remained impassive. "Great Metallia requires the presence of her Generals in the throne room."

Ishamanar rose. "Why?" he asked, even as he pushed his chair aside.

Now a smile appeared on Jadeite's face. "It is time."

"Time?" Nyxan asked. "You mean -"

Jadeite nodded. "Tomorrow, we strike."

  


* * *

"Well, fancy meeting you here again." It was a weak joke, and Meno sighed even as he said it.

Ami merely nodded curtly, settling herself into her seat. The small cafe where they had met the day after the battle on Pluto had become their standard meeting place. Their agreed-upon weekly meetings, of which this was the third, were close to the extent of the contact between the Champions and the Senshi now. There was too much blood, ancient and recent, between them for that too be at all surprising.

"Motoki asked me to ask you how Mamoru was doing," Meno said after taking a small sip of his drink.

"He is out of the hospital now," Ami said. "Usagi says he's planning to go back to school next week."

"That's good," Meno replied, and for a few moments the two were silent.

"To business, then?" Ami asked.

Meno mockingly raised his drink, as if to answer a toast. "To business." Ami sighed, and Meno shook his head. "Sorry."

"I assume your scans haven't found anything interesting?" Ami said after a few second's awkward silence.

Meno shook his head. "I'm using the same scanning equipment as you. Any youma that have shown up in Tokyo for the past three weeks have been heavily cloaked and very careful to not create any disturbances."

"So it seems. I wonder what they're up to," Ami said.

"I wish I could tell you," Meno said with a shrug. His expression quickly became grim. "I can tell you one thing. Whatever Seren... Metallia is planning, we aren't going to like it." He rubbed tiredly at his eyes. "But I almost think I'd prefer it to waiting for the hammer to drop like this."

"Is it possible that she was killed at Castle Charon, and the reason there haven't been any attacks is that the Dark Kingdom has fallen into chaos again?"

"You don't really believe that, do you?" Meno asked.

"No." Ami frowned. "I suppose not."

Meno idly stirred his soda with his straw. "Has Pluto shown her face yet?"

Ami shook her head. "Not even Haruka or Michiru have seen her since Castle Charon."

"Why am I not surprised?"

Ami opened her mouth to speak, then shook her head slightly and shut it. Meno raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"It's nothing." Ami paused. "At least, probably nothing. Usagi thinks she saw Hotaru a couple days ago."

"Saturn?" Meno asked, almost hissing out the word.

Ami nodded. "But it was from a distance. I doubt it was really her."

"You're probably right. I can't imagine Metallia not keeping her on a short leash." Meno watched as Ami took a sip from her drink. "Anything else of interest?"

"What about the fleet?"

Meno shook his head. "No luck. I'd have to guess that the destruction of the Great Seal somehow disconnected the fleet's prison from this world; I can't even find it, much less open it."

"What about the Dark Kingdom, then?" Ami asked.

"Seren... Metallia probably anchored it somehow. After all, it was... her agent that did the destroying."

Ami paused, considering. "That seems likely. Anything else?"

"No. Not about this," Meno said after a moment.

Ami nodded, and suddenly downed half the remainder of her drink in one gulp. "What about... your brother? Have you talked with him yet?"

The transformation that came over her when she shifted to that subject always astounded Meno. One moment, she was cold and calculating, the next moment she was... well, not quite a lovesick schoolgirl, but very much a nervous, confused one. Meno sighed. "I take it he hasn't talked to you then?"

Ami blinked. "What?"

"I managed to get in touch with him after our meeting last week. I didn't tell him that you were," Meno paused, glancing around to make sure nobody was in earshot, and then continued in a slightly quieter tone of voice. "Sailor Mercury, of course, but I told him I had met you and gave him your number."

Ami frowned. "No, he hasn't called." She glanced at Meno, who was looking somewhat distressed. "What's wrong?"

"Last night," Meno began, only to hesitate before continuing, "I got a call from my parents. Ryo never came home from school yesterday. I was hoping that maybe he had told you what he was doing."

"He's gone missing?" For a few moments, Ami seemed to think over something. Then her face went very pale. "Tell me, has Motoki been in touch with his old girlfriend at all? A... Reika, I think. I don't remember the family name."

Meno blinked at the sudden change of subject. "What... how would I know? What does that have to do with anything?"

Ami began to quietly curse under her breath. "Who were the others? I knew I should have kept an eye on -"

"Will you please tell me what's going on?" Meno asked, exasperated.

Ami stopped muttering, and took a deep breath. She was silent for a moment, obviously considering where to start. "Your brother already knows I'm Sailor Mercury," she said finally.

"What?" Meno asked a little too loudly.

"Let me finish. This is important," Ami said in a quiet tone of command, and Meno subsided. "It all began when we were fighting Zoicite for the Rainbow Crystals." For the next several minutes, Ami told the story of those battles, and Meno's face grew cold.

When she was finished, he uttered a soft, viscous curse. After a moment, he said, "Sorry. But... this is -" He stopped suddenly, breathing deeply. "I'll ask Motoki about... Reika. You find out about the others, if you can."

He rose suddenly and walked out, leaving his unfinished drink behind.

  


* * *

The throne room teemed with monstrosities. It had not been long since it had been dusty, nearly abandoned. Even more recently, it had been half-empty, the stronghold of an embattled former General with dreams of far greater power. But now, it was restored to the

state in which it had spent most of its long existence. The sounds of hundreds, if not thousands, of youma echoed perpetually through the throne room and the adjoining chambers. Messengers slid here and there through the crowds, carrying news of the countless plots and conspiracies that seemed to occur naturally whenever so many powerful youma were brought to one place.

Most importantly, the throne room once again served the unchallenged sovereign of the Dark Kingdom, whom all served. There was no fear of an enemy army finally taking the citadel by storm, for every army in the Kingdom served the palace's new owner. And most of those were now gathered outside the dark stone walls of the palace, waiting for their Queen's commands.

Inside the throne room, the sea of youma parted, even though the room seemed so full that such a maneuver should have been impossible. Through the gap this made, Loriel and Scalae, the two surviving Dragons, passed. Loriel fidgeted with his ornate blue robes as he walked, causing the Dragon of Fire to smirk. "Nervous, Water Dragon?"

"Should I be?" Loriel asked with a snort.

"You have failed in finding Kyrien."

Loriel barked out a short laugh. "Only because there is nothing to find. He is as dead as Mordrangar."

Some strange emotion showed in Scalae's featureless red eyes, but she said nothing as they reached the empty throne and took up position behind it. Instead she began to scan the gathered crowd, briefly noting the position of her loyal servant Chresk. She also noted a number of Overlords who had loyally served Jadeite, released from imprisonment when their master had agreed to serve Metallia. They would not dare plot against Metallia, but Scalae was a much less dangerous target. Still, she thought with a smile, she was more than dangerous enough to handle any of these second-rate demons.

The constant murmur of the crowd began to quieten as Metallia's three Generals entered the room. Scalae resisted the urge to growl as she glanced at Jadeite. She ached to finally kill the pathetic human, but her Queen had forbidden it. Worse, Scalae had to agree: Jadeite would be useful in the days to come. 

A minor disturbance caught her eye and shook her briefly from her thoughts: Chresk seemed to be on the verge of starting something rather nasty with General Nyxan. Scalae frowned and almost imperceptibly shook her head, and Chresk calmed himself, bowing and apologizing. That would have to be dealt with. Chresk had, quite rightly by youma standards, taken offense at Nyxan fleeing their brief duel, but it would not be helpful to have him antagonizing one of Metallia's two favorites.

As the three Generals slowly walked up the stairs that led to the empty throne, an expectant hush began to fall over the crowd below. Once they had taken their positions by it, the already pale light dimmed further, until even youma eyes could not penetrate the darkness. When light returned, Metallia sat upon the throne, one hand resting atop the head of Sailor Saturn, who now knelt slightly beside and before the throne. Though no few youma shrunk back from the Senshi's dull, violet eyes, all bowed deeply to Metallia, and a smile graced her aristocratic face as she accepted the homage. The golden crescent moon on her forehead shone brightly, but somehow its light seemed to merely deepen the darkness.

The silence was complete, hardly even a breath able to be heard as the crowd waited for their goddess to speak. For some moments she did not, savoring the heady feeling of expectation. Finally, though, she did speak, and though her voice was quiet and the crowd vast, all heard it as though it sounded inside their own heads.

"It is time," she said, and even the deep fear and respect the youma had for Metallia could not keep the crowd from erupting into cheers and roars of triumph. Metallia raised her hand from its perch on Saturn's head, and the noise instantly ceased once more. As she lowered her hand, Metallia continued. "It is time at last. For ten thousand years you have waited for this moment, when the victory you once held in your grasp would return to it. For ten thousand years you have rotted in this prison, while the humans who locked you away stole all that should have been yours.

"No longer." Once again, the youma's discipline broke, and this time Metallia allowed the cacophony to die a natural death. "I have returned to you, and by my will you shall know vengeance! By my will, all who would oppose you shall be broken. By my will, Terra shall be yours!

"Now that our forces have begun to gather, the time to strike draws near. It is your duty to go to your armies, to work to hasten the coming of that hour. Let no youma fight another, for soon we will have humans to slay. Let those whose forces tarry hasten their journey here, so that when I open the portals they will be ready to step through. So is my will; so it shall be done!"

Even as Metallia finished, the crowd began to thin, and surprisingly quickly she was left alone with her Generals and the Dragons, who moved to stand before the throne. For a moment Metallia eyed them silently; then she spoke. "How long will it take, for all the armies to be gathered?"

"No more than a week further, Great One," Jadeite said. "Already, though, all but the tiniest fraction has arrived.

Metallia nodded. "Very well, then. Soon, I shall put an end to my accursed descendant's wards forever. Until then... I would that we make a strike, a small raid, to test the Terran's defenses."

Nyxan bowed. "Your will, Great One. Where shall we strike?"

Metallia smiled. "At this... Tokyo, where my Senshi and the cursed Champions are. They deserve to taste my wrath. General Ishamanar?"

The four-armed youma bowed. "My Queen."

"I believe you have been there before, so you shall lead the strike. One thousand of your finest youma should be sufficient for this test. Take them, and let us see whether this Tokyo can survive half a day of their attentions."

Ishamanar bowed again. "Your will, Great One."

After Metallia dismissed her Generals, Jadeite quietly slipped into one of the many small antechambers adjacent to the main throne room. There was hardly any light, so he summoned a small ball of flame and set it to slowly circle the room, though this seemed to do more to strengthen the shadows than to banish them. After a moment's search to ensure that he was alone, he settled into one of the chamber's few chairs.

As always after his meetings with Metallia, he shook, and he could not understand why. She was his goddess, his Queen. So long as he served her loyally, he had nothing to fear. Yet, every time he left her presence, he trembled with emotions he could not bring himself to name. His head throbbed with a terrible pain, and he shut his eyes, willing the ache to subside.

When it did, he brought out the Flame Diamond and stared into its depths. For some reason, its beauty could comfort him, and as he gazed into it his trembling body calmed somewhat. Though he channeled no power into it, he thought he could see some spark at its heart, and slowly his gaze sought it out. He could not say how long he sat there, entranced by the gem's depths.

"Seek the Diamonds, Fire Guardian."

Jadeite started. He rose, and the Flame Diamond blazed in his hand, sending the shadows fleeing to the farthest corners of the room. "Who dares disturb me?"

Laughter sounded in his ears. "None who fears you, Guardian."

Jadeite's eyes narrowed. "I will not be called that."

Another soft laugh. "Very well, General, but you would do well to heed me."

"Why should I?" Jadeite's eyes darted throughout the room, unable to find the speaker.

"I can grant you what you most desire," the voice said.

"I desire only my Queen's will," Jadeite replied.

"Truly?" The speaker laughed again, and Jadeite's head throbbed in time. "I think not. Be healed, for the moment."

Jadeite stumbled back into the chair as his mind filled with unbelievable pain. Something shattered... and it was a very different Jadeite who rose from the chair a few moments later. Fury raged in his mind, that Metallia had dared to toy with him like that. He was no one's slave! "Who are you?" he hissed.

Again, laughter. "A friend, it seems."

"You will aid me in my vengeance?" Jadeite asked.

"Yes."

"Then show yourself. I will not plot with thin air."

"I cannot," the voice replied. "This is the domain of Serenity the Dark - the one you call Metallia. I cannot come here, but I will come to you when the time is right. Until then -"

Something... pulsed in Jadeite's mind, and he could feel familiar bonds snapping back into place. "What did you do?" he asked angrily.

"I cannot break Serenity's hold on you entirely, General, not for long. I have granted you some measure of freedom. Be grateful for that."

Jadeite snarled, and the strange voice laughed again. "I must leave you now, General, lest Serenity become alert to my presence. We shall meet again." Jadeite cursed, and yelled at the dark walls, but the presence did not return.

  


* * *

In the Dark Kingdom, the drums of war beat furiously. Armies converged on Beryl's palace, waiting for the time to strike. Ishamanar gathered his chosen legion to him, readying them to return to the unsuspecting city of Tokyo. Jadeite raged in impotent fury as he carried out the orders of the Queen he now knew he hated. That Queen studied the wards that separated her realm from Terra, preparing to sunder them for good.

On Earth, life continued as it always had and, so far as most were concerned, always would. Life and death, love and hatred, war and peace, billions of repetitive yet unique dramas. They all played out, the actors unaware of the danger that now threatened to prematurely end them all, the darkness that even now rose to swallow them.

And on distant Pluto, a figure stood on a hill over the ruins of Castle Charon, the tiny sun to its back. A smile appeared on its face as it watched Sailor Pluto pick her way through those ruins, searching in vain for either of her two charges. "Finally." The word hung in the air. "At last. It begins." 

  


* * *

Author's Random Ramblings

1) Here we go again... This is of course the sequel to Shades of Gray, the latest version of which can be found at 

2) Angus MacSpon has once again taken up the task of prereading this story. As ever, my thanks to him. Thnaks goes to Michael Chase for catching a particularly glaring omission.

3) I'm not totally happy with the title quote, but I haven't been able to come up with anything better. 

4) I tried to write a "What Has Gone Before" section, but I stopped when it was only up to Chapter 7 or so, already far too long, and had left out far too much detail to be useful. 

Started: October 19, 2003

Draft Finished: October 24, 2003

Draft Released: December 22, 2003

Final Released: January 16, 2004


	2. Chapter 1: Opening Gambits

Shades of Darkness  
A Sailor Moon Fanfic  
By: Aaron Nowack

Chapter 1: Opening Gambits

"_Never, never, never believe any war will be smooth and easy, or that anyone who embarks on the strange voyage can measure the tides and hurricanes he will encounter._"

- Winston Churchill

  


* * *

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is owned by Naoko Takeuchi, whose creative talents far exceed my most humble own. Distribution and other rights to Sailor Moon belong to lots of different companies that I do not own. I make or imply no claim to ownership of Sailor Moon or its characters. However, the text of this fanfic is mine, and should not be used without permission. Thank you.

* * *

Sailor Pluto started as a new sound entered her awareness. Her ancient home, Castle Charon, was normally silent, save for the sounds she herself made. The fact that it was now shattered and ruined from the recent apocalyptic battle had not seemed to change that fact. Yet now she had heard... something. Perhaps it was just some of the rubble settling.

"Or perhaps not," the Senshi muttered as she heard the sound resume, this time clearly identifiable as footsteps. Her gloved hand tightened around her staff as she waited for her visitor. For there was only one place any intruder could be seeking - the central courtyard, the ruin of which she had been searching.

Why she had been searching she was not sure. She had seen the Great Seal shattered with her own eyes, and it took hardly a moment to determine that the Gates of Time were gone, beyond the range of even her keen magical senses. Yet she could not bring herself to accept that. She had guarded those Gates for almost all of her long life, and the Seal had been in her keeping for its entire existence. Without them, it was almost as though her purpose for existing had been taken from her.

Though that was not the case. Her mission still burned inside of her - the path to the shining future of Crystal Tokyo was still narrow and treacherous, in need of a guiding hand. Even were none trying to block that path, keeping history moving in the proper direction was an experience not unlike herding cats. Even with all her foresight, she had never imagined that the world would take the shape it had, and it had been as much through luck as her skill that the utopia she sought was still even possible, much less as likely as it was - though that chance was still almost infinitesimal.

Sailor Pluto forced these musings from her mind, tensing as she heard the intruder draw nearer. When she came into view, Pluto started slightly and relaxed somewhat. "You," she said simply.

"Yes." 

Pluto had to repress a shudder at hearing her own voice coming from another's lips. Even after countless years, seeing her future self was more than a little disturbing. The first time they had met, she had thought herself soon to be, if not already, insane. "How are you here? The Gates are lost."

"I know."

"How, then?" the younger Pluto asked.

"I cannot say," the elder replied. "There is very little I can do to aid you now."

The younger Pluto grimaced. "I know that too well. What can you say?"

"That the hour we have long worked for draws near. That the Great Ice is coming, and that the battle to determine what world will awaken in a thousand years has already begun to rage. That you must stay the course, now more than ever, lest all you have sacrificed be in vain."

"I know that," the younger Pluto said, barely managing to conceal her irritation. "Is there nothing more you can give me?"

A frown creased the elder's face. "I... I can tell you this. Be wary. There are other forces at work than those of Serenity the Dark, and... no, I have already said too much." She paused, then continued, her voice far more confident. "You know what you must do, what only you can do."

"How will I? Without the Gates, I cannot read the timestream well. I have no way to know what must occur."

The elder Pluto smiled mysteriously. "I will be watching." She faded away, and the younger Pluto cursed at the empty air.

  


* * *

"Are you okay?"

Furuhata Motoki looked up at his sister's voice. "I'm... I don't know, Unazuki."

Unazuki glanced around the somewhat less-than crowded Crown Cafe, then turned to the counter. "Kazuma! I'm taking a quick break!"

The young man, who the staff had appointed the Cafe's temporary manager after the proprietress had "disappeared", smiled and nodded, and Unazuki slid into the other side of Motoki's booth. "All right," she said, idly twirling a strand of her red hair. "Talk."

Motoki blinked. "What?"

"Oh, come on," Unazuki said, sighing. "You've been moping in here for almost two hours. What's wrong? Bored since the arcade is still closed?" In fact, almost no progress had been made towards trying to repair it.

"A little, but that's not it," Motoki replied. "I... Meno talked with Mer... Ami yesterday."

"Yes?"

"He told me she said that Mamoru would be coming back to class next week."

Unazuki's eyes widened, "Oh."

"I haven't seen him since then, you realize? Not since I almost killed him." Motoki stared down at his hands.

Unazuki reached over and grasped one of his hands. "You did save him, you realize. That counts for something."

"No. I was the one who made him need saving. That," he said bitterly, "counts for something too."

Unazuki tightened her grip. "You're friends. That's all that matters."

Motoki laughed harshly. "What's a little bloodshed between friends, huh?" He paused. "Motoki and Mamoru were friends. Zeus and Endymion? That's another story."

Unazuki opened her mouth to reply, but stopped as the other waitress on this shift drew near. "Do you want something to drink, Unazuki?" she asked.

"No, but thanks anyway, Akane." The other waitress nodded and continued on her way to the counter, stopping a few booths down to ask whether another customer needed a refill.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Motoki spoke. "I guess I should -"

"Go see him." Motoki blinked at the interruption, then stared at his sister as though she had grown a second head. "You heard me," Unazuki continued. "This has been eating you up for the past three weeks, and you'll never settle it unless you talk to him."

"What am I supposed to say, 'Sorry I tried to kill you?'"

"That's up to you."

Motoki sighed. "I should go."

Unazuki nodded. "I need to get back to work," she said as she rose.

Motoki followed suit and left the cafe. As the door closed behind him, he glanced over at the dark, silent Crown Arcade. After a moment, he fished around in his pocket for a key and moved around to the back door. He unlocked it and slipped inside the back room.

This was it. This small storeroom had been the place. He glanced down at the blood that still stained the concrete floor, and shuddered. There was no sign of the youma that had died here, even the dust its corpse had become having long since evaporated. But the blood... even if it had been cleaned, Motoki knew he would still have seen it.

After a long moment, he tore his eyes away from the red stain and walked into the arcade proper. The machines stood like ancient, inscrutable monoliths, looming out of the darkness. Motoki flipped a light switch, and they metamorphosed from ominous sentinels to almost pathetic, mute reminders that once this place had been a place of happiness. Now, even with the lights on, it felt more like a tomb to Motoki.

He wandered over the Super Sailor Fighter II machine, fingering its cracked side panel. This was the machine that had housed a powerful energy draining device. Placed by the youma who posed as the arcades' proprietress, it had sparked the incident that left the arcade still closed. It had been one of Tuxedo Kamen's roses that had destroyed the device, leaving this scar on the machine that had hosted it.

Motoki barely stopped himself from punching the side panel, doing further damage. Damn it! When had things gotten so complicated? He had had friends who had joined the other side during the war, and never felt this way about them. But then, that was then... and this was now. He had never had to worry about what to say to any of those friends, because the war had outlived all of them. Now the war was over, and his friend-turned-enemy was an ally in a different war. How was he supposed to deal with that, even setting aside what had happened here mere weeks ago?

The sound of a door opening startled Motoki from his thoughts, and he glanced towards the back room. Who could it be? His face paled as the trespasser entered the main room. For a moment the two were silent. "Hi," Motoki finally said weakly, dropping his gaze.

"Hi." Mamoru's voice was flat, and even though Motoki wasn't looking he could tell that Mamoru was fingering the scar he had to have. "I saw your sister. She said you wanted to see me, and I saw you through the windows..." He trailed off.

"She did, huh?" Motoki asked, then fell silent.

After a few moments, Mamoru said, "I should leave."

He turned to do so, but stopped as Motoki shook his head. "No, stay. We really do need to talk."

"You're right," Mamoru said, but neither said anything more for several moments.

"How... how is your wound?" Motoki asked, breaking the silence.

"There's barely even a scar," Mamoru said.

Another silence. "That's good." After a few moments, Motoki punched the side of the broken arcade machine, not caring that he damaged it further. "I knew this wasn't going to work."

"It's not going to be the same as it used to be. It might never be," Mamoru said.

"I suppose not." Motoki cursed. "I'm no good at this kind of thing. Gaia was always the diplomat."

"You could start with apologizing," Mamoru said dryly.

Motoki's lips curled back into an almost feral grin. "Weren't you trying to kill me too?"

Mamoru shifted uncomfortably, glancing away. "You gave me good reason."

Motoki let out a bark of bitter laughter. "I suppose I did."

"Why, Motoki? How could you possibly support something like that?"

"Do you think we liked the thought of using the fleet against Earth? Do you think we enjoyed the possibility that innocents would die at our hands? We are not that inhuman, Mamoru. It seemed we had no other choice."

"Why?" Mamoru repeated. "What was so horrible that you could consider that?"

Motoki's face was smooth and blank. "No one has the right to decide mankind's future for it. Not you, not me, and certainly not Pluto. Would you rather die freely or live as a slave?"

"What gives you the right to make that decision for others?"

"What gives you the right to decide that Pluto's vision of Utopia is worth the destruction of this world?"

"The Great Ice," Mamoru said flatly. "There might be no way to stop it, you realize."

"Better to try and fail than to not try at all!" Motoki's voice was almost a yell. He paused, breathing heavily. "We aren't going anywhere with this."

"You're right." Mamoru glanced away again. "Ami tells me that before you went to Pluto, you had a vote."

"We did." Motoki's eyes were hard. "On what to do if we freed the fleet and you refused to capitulate."

"Which way did you vote?"

"Would you have agreed to terms?"

Mamoru shuffled his feet. "I don't know," he said after a second's pause.

"Think quickly," Motoki said. "Which will it be, innocent deaths or surrender?"

"I said I don't know!"

"That's almost similar to the decision we faced. It's not an easy choice, no matter how much you might want it to be."

Mamoru's eyes were troubled. "I can't believe that you would vote to go through with such a thing."

"I didn't. But I know why those who did chose that way."

Mamoru bowed his head. "I guess... I guess I can understand that." His eyes blazed briefly as he raised his head again. "I still don't like it."

"Nobody does." For a moment, a haunted look passed over Motoki's eyes. "You are very lucky that you do not remember the war." He then fell silent.

After several awkward seconds, Mamoru extended his hand. "I don't know if this is going to work, but... one way or another, we're going to have to work together now. I'd rather at least try to be friends."

"All we can do is try." Motoki took Mamoru's hand. "That's all humans can ever do."

  


* * *

When she had ruled the Dark Kingdom, Beryl had resided in a vast suite at the heart of her palace, adjacent to the throne room. Once richly appointed and filled with all manner of treasures magical and mundane, arcane tomes, and the other spoils of ten millennia of rule, they were now long stripped of anything with the slightest bit of value. Where once powerful youma longed for a chance to be one of the few invited to meet with the Queen within, now only the lost or curious disturbed the thick layers of dust that covered the cold, stone floors and the few items too large and valueless to be worth looting.

Jadeite had never bothered to claim the royal chambers, feeling them too exposed for his taste. Instead, he had resumed occupancy of the same rooms he had taken for himself long ago after his humiliating flight from the vast southern isle that had been his domain. Located atop one of the palace's highest towers, almost directly above the throne room and Beryl's suite, they were cramped but easily defensible. This fact had served him well during his brief but turbulent reign.

Metallia had opted for neither of these options, for the moment at least. Deep in the labyrinthine catacombs beneath the palace lay the hidden sanctum from which Nyxan and Ishamanar had summoned the dark goddess. Only her inner circle was aware the chamber existed, and it was there that they could find her when she was not in some public place. To those outside that small group, the Queen might as well have vanished.

It was outside the door to this chamber that Asphara, consort to Metallia's general Ishamanar, found herself now. The large, bat-like wings that sprouted from the back of her otherwise human-seeming form twitched nervously as she lightly knocked on the thick metal door. Even for a youma as well-connected and as much in the Queen's favor as herself, no meeting with Metallia was anything to take lightly or calmly.

When the door swung open, Asphara started back. On the other side of the doorway was a figure that, despite standing almost a head shorter than her, sent almost instinctual tremors of fear down her spine. The Silence Glaive glinting menacingly in one hand, Sailor Saturn looked the youma up and down with her flat, dull eyes, seemingly without interest or comprehension. After a moment that seemed eons-long to Asphara, the Senshi nodded and turned away, vanishing into the shadowed depths of the sanctum.

Taking a handful of seconds to calm herself, Asphara soon followed, the door swinging silently shut behind her. Even her youma eyes took a few moments to adjust to the darkness. Once they had, she took several steps forward and knelt before her goddess. As Metallia's attention turned to her, the already pitch-black shadows seemed to thicken and solidify, until Asphara felt almost as though she were being smothered by the darkness.

Metallia smiled, and the golden crescent on her forehead seemed to shine. "Rise, Asphara." Hearing her own name coming from the goddess's lips made the youma shake with unnamable sensations. "You have served me well, child."

Asphara's throat was dry, and it took her a moment to find the words to speak. "Thank you, Great One." She began to rise to her feet, only to stagger as her weak, shaking legs buckled under her. Her fall halted with shocking suddenness, but it was nothing to the shock she felt when she saw that it was Sailor Saturn's gloved hands supporting her. She wrenched herself free, then glanced uncertainly at the Senshi. After a moment, she nodded her thanks. The Senshi nodded curtly in reply, then faded back into the thick shadows.

Metallia seemed unconcerned by the incident, continuing as though it had not happened. "Your consort has set you to watching the human Jadeite, yes?"

"Y-yes, Great One," Asphara managed to stutter out in reply.

"Is it some doing of his that brings you here?" Metallia asked.

"No, my Queen," Asphara said.

"Very well." A frown seemed to briefly cross the Queen's face, but in the darkness Asphara could not be sure. "What errand brings you then, child?"

"Great Metallia, my consort sends me to inform you that he has gathered his thousand, and that he awaits only your blessing to strike."

Metallia laughed, and whatever frown her face might have borne vanished. "Very well, then. My blessing for him, and my curse for this Tokyo."

  


* * *

The Hikawa Shrine still bore some of the scars of battle. Though the fires that had raged in the aftermath of one of the final conflicts between the Champions and the Senshi had failed to do much structural damage, thanks in large part to the rapid response of the Juuban Fire Department, a number of obvious, temporary patches marred the Shrine's once-beautiful exterior, waiting for the time when final repairs could be made.

Despite this, it was still by far the best place for the Senshi to hold a meeting, particularly when, as was now and frequently the case, Grandfather Hino was away. Most other places were too public or, as was the case with Makoto or the Outer Senshi's apartments, too small to comfortably hold the entire group for the many hours these meetings could take.

This particular meeting was still just beginning, the last of the handful of late-comers having just arrived, and the conversation not yet having made its way from the forcibly cheerful small-talk to the far more serious reasons for the gathering. For any who did not know those reasons, this conclave would seem to be made of an odd collection of people who could have no conceivable common interest, ranging from elegant, somewhat famous musicians to a willowy, amazonish girl; from a quiet, studious bookworm to some who seemed her direct opposite. Yet the one thing they all shared outweighed these differences so greatly that it was almost inconceivable to them that they might never have met without it.

For the moment, though, they continued to almost unknowingly dart around the reasons for their meeting, pretending that no greater purpose had called them to this place. "Honestly, Usagi, would it kill you to be on time for once?"

The named girl briefly stuck out her tongue at the speaker. "I said I was sorry! And it's not my fault this time, Rei! Mom wouldn't let me go out until I helped her clean the living room."

Rei merely rolled her eyes. "If you say so."

"Wasn't Mamoru supposed to come this time?" Makoto asked.

Rei nodded. "But he called me and said he had some errands to run, so we shouldn't wait for him." She shot a glare at Usagi, who responded once more with a display of her tongue.

Haruka shifted in her seat. "Then let's start." A quiet settled over the group as they were forced to recall that there was a reason they were here.

Ami was the one who broke the calm. "I met with Meno again yesterday."

"Hermes?" Minako asked, and Ami nodded.

Usagi frowned. "This isn't good enough."

Ami blinked at the unexpected comment. "What do you mean?"

"We need to be closer to the Champions," Usagi said. "If we're really going to work together with them, we can't only have you and Hermes talking once a week, or it'll be like..." Usagi faltered, glancing nervously at the Outer Senshi.

"Like before with us," Haruka finished quietly for her. "We'll wind up working at cross purposes with them."

Michiru glanced sideways at Haruka. "We might end up doing that in any case."

Makoto crossed her arms. "I don't trust them."

It was Rei who responded. "We don't really have a choice. If what's coming is half as bad as we fear, we'll need them." Minako nodded, her normally cheerful expression vanished.

"I don't like it," was all Makoto said in reply.

"I think they can be trusted," Ami said after a moment. "At least as far as their word goes. They swore to Usagi, and they aren't the type to break an oath."

Usagi shuddered slightly. They might have sworn their loyalty amidst the ruins of Castle Charon, but they had not been pleased to do so. She, too, thought they would stand by the word they had given, but she also felt that it would only take one wrong step for them to start chafing at that bond, and she did not want that to happen. She shook her head, noticing that the room had once again fallen silent. "They did swear to me," she said. "That means I have a responsibility to them."

No words greeted this pronouncement, so Usagi continued. "Ami. Can you contact Meno?"

She nodded. "Yes."

"Then I want you to arrange a meeting. Not with him, but with all the Champions. With all of us."

"I will." 

Another brief silence fell, and this time it was Michiru who broke it. "Did Meno tell you anything in your meeting?" she asked.

Ami's eyes flicked to Rei. "Where is your grandfather, Rei?"

The raven-haired Senshi blinked at the seeming change of subject. "He's visiting another shrine, in Yokohama."

"Have you talked to him lately?" Ami pressed.

"Of course," Rei replied. "He calls every night."

Ami breathed a sigh of relief at this. "Maybe it wasn't anything, then."

"What wasn't?" Makoto asked.

Ami paused, seeming to gather her thoughts. "Meno said his brother was missing."

"His brother?" Minako asked.

"Urawa Ryo," Ami replied after a moment.

Usagi was the first of the handful who recognized the name to respond. "Your boyfriend's missing?"

"He isn't my boyfriend," Ami said irritably. "I haven't talked to him in over a year."

"What does his brother have to do with anything, much less Grandfather Hino?" Michiru asked.

Ami's eyes dropped. "They were each one of the Seven Great Youma."

Haruka seemed puzzled for a moment, then her eyes seemed to bug out as she remembered the story. "Rei's grandfather?"

Rei shifted uncomfortably. "He doesn't know anything about it. And there's never been even a trace of evil on him." She sniffed slightly. "Just perversion."

Haruka shook her head. "Still," she began, only to shake her head and begin again, this time addressing Ami. "You were afraid the Dark Kingdom was recovering them. Who were the others?"

Ami grimaced as she brought out her computer and entered a few commands. "I didn't keep very good track of them. A 'Cranemaster Joe.' A priest who at the time worked at a nearby graveyard; I never got his name. The artist Yumeno Yumemi. A Nishimura Reika, who was Motoki's girlfriend at the time. And a cat. Maybe Setsuna can find out where that one got to, but I can't."

"I think I met Ms. Yumeno once," Michiru said. "She didn't seem -"

"None of them do," Usagi interrupted.

"Except for that Cranemaster Joe." Makoto snorted. "He was a real jerk. I can't believe I thought he was like my sempai."

Haruka's eyes closed, and she seemed to be holding in a sigh. "One more thing to worry about. Even if the Dark Kingdom hasn't gone after them already, they might try it sometime."

Minako sighed. "At least they don't seem to be in any hurry to try anything."

Seemingly in reply, the Shrine shook, ancient timbers groaning. As the shaking stopped, the Senshi darted to their feet, and it was Haruka who was the first to ask the question that was on all their minds.

"What the hell was that?"

  


* * *

It started with a speck of light. A tiny, unnoticeable red dot in the sky over the Juuban district of Tokyo. At least, it was unnoticeable at first. Mere moments after it appeared, it flared a brilliant crimson, a bright, impossible star that blinded the few who happened to be looking directly at it for several moments. Even as the glare died down, the speck of light began to expand, a wave of crimson flooding across the sky.

Unlike the last time such an strange sight had appeared over Juuban, there were quite a few who realized what the blazing sky warned of. The papers outside of Juuban might have downplayed reports of monsters and attributed the damage to various natural or man-made disasters, but the people of Juuban remembered. It took mere seconds for the panic to begin.

It took only slightly longer for the invaders to arrive. This time, no shimmering portal appeared for them to pour out of. Rank upon rank of monstrous creatures simply began to appear in the heart of Juuban. The flow of traffic, already confused by the spectacle of the fiery sky, disintegrated entirely as all rules were forgotten, a primal urge to flee taking hold of even the bravest of men at the sight of the demons.

Harsh commands boomed out in a language that resembled no human tongue, audible all over Juuban's shopping district. Inhuman, terrible roars answered them, rising from a thousand throats. A final command barked out, one whose meaning seemed entirely too clear to the humans, despite the incomprehensible language in which it was uttered. "Kill them all!"

The first to die was a salaryman who had been searching for a new place to eat lunch. A squad of youma had appeared surrounding him, and one of them casually disemboweled him with a single claw swipe even before the words of the final command had faded. The man fell back from the force, and had a few moments to feel his lifeblood draining out before his senses faded. It would be less than fifteen seconds before another would join him in death.

It took quite a bit longer for alarms to begin to sound in locations throughout Japan, and from there move on to places beyond. Though it had been happy to bolster reporters' skepticism when it came to tales of monsters attacking in Juuban, the government itself had heeded the warning of the first red sky and other, previous incidents, and contingency plans had been laid.

Even with those plans available, it took some time for those responsible to determine a course of action appropriate for the exact circumstances, or at least the fragmentary portion of them that were known. Once those decisions had been made, the tremendous task of deploying significant forces to the streets of their own capital city began.

  


* * *

Tuxedo Kamen shattered the glass storefront of the Crown Arcade with a single rose, leaping through even before the glass had finished falling. Zeus followed a moment later, sword crackling in his hands. He spared a glance for the handful of pedestrians, shouting at them to flee. He grimaced at thought that there might be no safe location to flee to. He then turned his attention to the reason for their unseemly haste in exiting the Arcade. Youma.

The closest was a tentacled monstrosity, and Zeus hoped he was only imagining the bloodstains he thought he saw on its twisting appendages. Two sword blows divested the monster of a decent portion of those, and a final stab finished it off. Unfortunately, it was far from the only demon to be visiting Tokyo today.

Nearby, Tuxedo Kamen fended off twin snarling, wolf-like youma with his cane. His off hand darted into his coat and emerged with another rose. He flung at one of the beasts. The youma didn't go down, but it backed off. He took advantage of the chance to get a number of solid blows in on the other, but the blunt cane seemed to do little damage. 

A curse escaped his lips, and he... shifted. His formal wear became dark armor and his cane became a sharp, heavy sword. Endymion cursed again, angry with himself for not thinking to use his stronger form sooner. One youma fell under his sword, then the other. He launched himself at a winged creature. Yet, still there were more youma. Inhuman roars and all too human screams sounded from all directions, a chorus appropriate to the infernal sky that blazed above.

Zeus moved to block three snake creatures from attacking Tuxedo Kamen's rear. Another group of youma reached the door of the Crown Cafe, seeking to reach the frightened clientele within. A figure holding a glowing sword appeared in the doorway. A youma tried to shove past her, and Aphrodite removed its head from its body. 

Behind her, the customers panicked. The young temporary manager struggled to lead them all into the slightly more defensible back room, but Aphrodite had no time to note this. Even with the defensive advantage of the doorway, there were enough youma to press her hard. Those numbers were quickly increasing. Youma congregated in this section of street, sensing a troublesome knot of resistance.

Zeus found himself pushed up against Endymion's back. Soon, the two were surrounded by a swarm of youma. The monsters were seemingly a menagerie of all shapes and sizes, of all the fearsome creatures that lurked in the back of the human mind. Both sides were too closely packed for any awesome displays of magic. The battle nothing more then a furious storm of blade and claw. The youma died, one after the other, but still they came on. Still, pained, human screams sounded from all directions.

The two slowly worked their way over to the Crown Cafe, where a tiring Aphrodite still blocked the doorway. She gratefully stepped back as the two reached her. Her brother took her place, while she tended a nasty claw-scrape on Endymion's side. She managed to at least dull the pain, and he muttered a quick thanks.

Aphrodite shook her head. "It's nothing."

"That's right." It was a deep, inhuman voice that spoke, and the youma drew back slightly. A large, mostly humanoid figure stepped forward, though a pair of horns on its forehead and the crimson color of its skin were more than enough to identify it as hardly human. "All your efforts are nothing. Surrender, and mayhap you can survive as slaves."

Lightning crackled around Zeus's blade. "Thunder Bolt!"

The youma merely smiled, raising one paw-like hand. The burst of electricity faltered before it reached it. "That is futile. This is our hour now." A fanged grin settled on its face. "General Ishamanar and Great Metallia!"

It charged, and the other youma were not far behind. The youma's apparent leader contemptuously forced Zeus's blade aside, almost bowling over the Champion. Endymion was right behind him, and a point-blank rose bought him a moment's time to recover. The lead youma turned on Endymion, only to scream in surprised pain as Aphrodite's shining sword cut into its side. The recovered Zeus attacked from the other flank, and now it was the youma who was being pushed back.

A clawed strike left a bloody trail down Zeus's face. He ignored the blow, plunging his sword where the youma's heart should be. This was more than the monster could take, and more dust fell to the pile before the Cafe's door. At their leader's fall, the other youma backed off again. The three warriors took advantage of the respite to gain a brief moment of rest.

Zeus thought that he heard gunshots in the distance - the police, or the army maybe. He couldn't imagine either group having much success, but he prayed that they would. Soon, he had no time to consider the distant, possibly imaginary gunfire further. The youma had regrouped, and were pressing their attack yet again.

The next minutes were a nightmarish whirlwind of battle. The enraged youma struggled to force their way through the narrow doorway. Each time one of the defenders struck, a youma went down. There was always another close behind, though, and all too often the fallen youma was able to rise again. There seemed no end to the battle, and Zeus could not forget that this was probably only the tiniest portion of a vastly larger attack.

A scream sounded from the back room. "They found the back door," Aphrodite said, her face whitening.

"Go," her brother said when he had a moment to do so. "You too, Endymion. I'll hold them here." Or try to, he finished silently.

There was no time for further words. The other two defenders raced back to try and defend the civilians. Zeus stepped into the center of the doorway and raised his sword, making his tired muscles groan in protest. "Thunder Bolt!"

The lightning forced the youma back. This time Zeus pressed the attack. There wasn't much point in defending the front door now. He just needed to keep these youma busy. This he succeeded at quite well, cutting through youma almost as quickly as they presented themselves. Yet he knew that he could not keep this up for long. Only the surprise of his sudden assault was keeping the enemy from overwhelming him. It would not be long before he made a fatal mistake.

That came far shorter than he might have hoped, a brief over extension making it possible for an insect youma to get inside his guard. He stumbled back, but soon more youma were upon him, forcing him down. He felt his sword being torn from his grasp, and knew there was nothing more he could do.

"Tidal Wave!" The youma scattered before Poseidon's attack, and Zeus let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. The other Champion wasn't alone: Hades and Medea were with him, and by the time Zeus managed to regain his feet the youma were breaking and running.

"Are you okay?" Poseidon asked.

"I'm not hurt." He winced from his wounds as he tried to rise, and reconsidered. "Not too badly, anyway. My sister and Endymion - they're in the back room."

"We're fine." Zeus let out another relieved sigh as Aphrodite emerged from the cafe. "There were only one or two back there."

Tuxedo Kamen soon approached, a haunted look in his eyes. "What are we going to do with the survivors?"

"We have to get them somewhere safe," Zeus said.

Medea shook her head. "I don't know if there is anywhere safe."

"That bad?" Aphrodite asked, her shoulders slumping.

Hades answered first. "Worse." 

  


* * *

It had been almost two hours since, for the second time, the sky over Juuban had begun to blaze. By now, the heart-rending chorus of screams had died down to a quiet whimper, more through lack of instruments then a lack of musicians. Most civilians in the heart of Juuban had either fled beyond the current reach of the youma invaders, or were by now dead or well-enough hidden to avoid their notice. These streets now belonged to the youma... and to those few who had the power and the will the hunt them.

The roads were littered with abandoned cars, a number with engines still running. Others had been torn to pieces by curious youma, who had never seen such contraptions before... occasionally, with the drivers still inside. Storefronts were shattered, and more than one building was aflame. Most depressing, though, were the bodies.

Some, perhaps even most, were merely unconscious, their energy drained to strengthen the enemy forces. Given the chance, they would recover swiftly. Far too many, though, were dead - clawed to pieces, ripped asunder, burned alive, or any of the other painful ways to die the youma army offered them. No small number of these corpses had been partially consumed by the demons who had slain them.

Ares no longer saw the bodies. There were too many, and there was nothing he could do for them, not even the living ones. He was no healer to save the wounded, nor was he a priest to care for the dead. It was better to pretend that the fallen were not there, to instead concentrate on what he could do. He was a warrior, and it was to war that he went.

At the moment, he faced down a trio of youma in an otherwise abandoned street. The handful of civilians these youma had cornered had managed to flee, thanks to the distraction Ares provided. Even if he accomplished nothing else, he had at least bought them more time to flee, to reach some more secure haven.

The closest youma, a creature with an oddly shaped, almost reptilian head atop an otherwise normal, if gray-skinned, woman's body, snarled, revealing a mouth filled with long fangs. "At last, a challenge."

Ares forced himself to smirk as he studied his opponents. This one seemed the most powerful of the three - the others, an almost matching feline pair, distinguishable only by the differing colors of their fur, were little more than half as strong. "A challenge I doubt you will meet, youma."

The monster's pale, yellowish eyes seemed to glow faintly in the odd light. "We shall see, Champion."

Ares's sword caught fire. "Flame Strike!" The blazing bolt sped from his extended blade towards the leader, only to sputter and die as it neared.

"Is that all?" the youma asked. Without waiting for an answer, she gestured towards the darker-furred of her companions. "Kill him."

The cat youma leapt forward with surprising speed, but it wasn't quite fast enough to catch Ares unguarded. A quick strike of his sword forced the attacking youma to keep its distance. The monster snarled, and long, ethereal claws sprung from its hands. The first swipe marred Ares's armor, but he managed to block the second.

The Champion took the offensive, and quickly scored a return blow that, had the youma been a hair slower, would have ended the fight. As it was, a long trail of black, hissing blood now marked the youma's side. Ares risked a quick glance backward. He smiled grimly as his suspicions were confirmed. This youma's twin had been taking advantage of his distraction to circle around behind him.

"Enough," he said, and plunged his sword into the road beneath his feet. The two youma raced to take advantage of his suddenly lowered guard, but not quickly enough. "Raging Inferno!" A circle of explosions surrounded the Champion, gouging craters in the dark asphalt. The two youma screamed briefly, and when the flames died down there was nothing left of them.

Ares raised his sword and advanced on the remaining youma. She flung out one clawed hand, and hurled dark lightning at the Champion. He effortlessly blocked the attack with the flat of his blade and continued to close the distance. The youma snarled wordlessly and fired another burst, with no more effect than the last. Ares's sword swept out, and his opponent stumbled backward to avoid it, falling to the ground. Ares stood over the monster, raising his sword like an executioner. The sword began to fall, only to stop as a new voice spoke.

"Soul Flame." The firebolt forced Ares back, and the youma scurried out from underneath his blade. "Go, little youma." The youma complied, vanishing so quickly that it almost seemed she teleported away.

"Jadeite," Ares spat out.

The dark general smiled and allowed himself to settle to the ground. "We meet yet again, Deinas."

"What do you want?"

Jadeite extended one gloved hand, and flames danced in it. "What do you think?"

"A quick death," Ares said, a familiar, dark smile returning to his face. "There are no hostages for you to take here." The last time the two had fought, the dark lord had taken Sailor Mars hostage, halting the duel until Sailor Saturn's appearance had put an end to it. Slowly, Ares extended his sword, pointing it at the other man.

Jadeite smiled, and cocked his head as though listening to a distant voice. "The screams... they're wonderful, aren't they? Great Metallia will be most pleased, I think."

"Flame Strike!" A torrent of white-hot fire spewed from the tip of Ares's blade, hungrily streaming towards the general.

Jadeite's smile widened, and he flung the dancing flame from his hands directly into the storm of fire speeding towards him. His ball of flame rapidly expanded as it flew. When it reached Ares's bolt it absorbed it, sending the inferno racing back at the Champion. Ares screamed as the fire struck him, knocking him halfway across the street and sending his sword spinning far out of reach.

Even as the Champion struggled to rise, Jadeite vanished, only to reappear in a burst of flame, hovering over his fallen foe. The general raised both arms, balls of white-hot flame shining in his hands like miniature suns. "Pathetic," he spat. "I had hoped you would be a better challenge this time, Deinas."

Ares grasped at a handful of rubble, hurling it at Jadeite and trying to roll out from underneath him. The stones evaporated long before they could strike the general, and he smirked. "You promised me a quick death, Champion. I assure you, I will show no such mercy." The fireballs in Jadeite's hands flared brightly, the white light obliterating the odd tint cast from the blazing sky overhead. "Die, worm!"

"Ice Storm!" The razor-sharp shards of ice failed to draw blood from the general, but did succeed in distracting him from his spell. The blazing orbs in his hands flickered and died, and Jadeite spun in mid-air, spitting a ancient curse at the new arrival.

Hermes ignored the curse, raising his sword in a defensive position. Jadeite snarled, and flames once again gathered in his hands. "I'll deal with you first, then. Soul Flame Barrage!" Firebolt after firebolt flew at the Champion of Mercury. He managed to block the first few, but soon stumbled back under the onslaught.

The dark general laughed. "You worthless scum. You are nothing!"

"Flame Strike!"

Jadeite half-spun in mid-air, flinging Ares's firebolt aside with one arm. "That is futile."

Ares smiled, his sword a bar of white flame, as he looked at something above and behind the general. "Perhaps."

"World Shaking!"

"Deep Submerge!"

The twin attacks slammed into the general from above, and it was Jadeite's turn to scream. The two Champions below pressed the attack, and the general vanished in a storm of fire and ice. When the magic cleared, Jadeite was kneeling on the ground, his gray uniform in tatters. Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune leapt down from the building they stood upon, and soon the four warriors had the general surrounded.

"I will not go back on my word, Jadeite," Ares said. "A quick death you shall have."

Jadeite's mouth twisted into a fierce snarl. "I'm not out of this fight yet, Champion."

There was a flicker of darkness, and Sailor Saturn appeared, protectively hovering over the general. "Silence wall," she intoned softly.

Ares cursed, swinging his sword futilely at the shimmering barrier that surrounded the two. Jadeite rose unsteadily, and smirked at the Champion. "It seems Iris has won you a reprieve, Deinas."

Saturn's eyes turned to Jadeite. "Great Metallia requests your presence, General. I will take you to her." Jadeite nodded, and the two vanished in a second flicker of darkness.

After a moment, Ares bowed shallowly to the two Senshi. "Your aid was most welcome."

"We are allies now," Uranus replied.

"So we are." It was Hermes who spoke. "What now?"

"We were sent to find you," Neptune said. "Mercury thinks she's found the center of all this. The other Senshi are already on their way there."

"Where?" Ares said.

Uranus smiled wearily. "Where else? The ruins of the Osa-P." 

  


* * *

It was not quite accurate to call them ruins. The Osa-P shopping center had been heavily damaged in what had been the largest youma strike ever before today. However, repairs had long ago begun, and many of the businesses had been serving customers again in a matter of days. The building had, strangely, fared somewhat better in this much larger strike. Most of the youma's destructive fury was being spent further from the epicenter, where what had been a headlong charge when the attack began was being slowed to a relative crawl. This was due in no small part to the Herculean efforts of first the police and now the military.

The sounds of gunfire and explosions could be heard from that conflict, even here at the heart of the rough circle that line of battle formed. So could the screams of the wounded and dying, and the youma's battle roars. It would be hard for an observer to say which force was least prepared for the foe it found itself grappling with, but there was no doubt which side was getting the better of the struggle. Perhaps two dozen humans fell for every youma they brought down, their training insufficient for dealing with opponents who could shrug off machine gun fire like a human might insect bites. It was a testimony to the courage and skill of the defenders that the youma advance had slowed as much as it had, and that the defensive perimeter, though it was stretched, had not yet broken.

However, here at the eye of the storm, none had time to consider such matters. Ishamanar, General of the Dark Kingdom and leader of the assault, stared down at the rapidly disappearing pile of dust that mere moments ago had been one of his bodyguards. After a few seconds, his eyes glanced up at the five figures that had appeared atop a nearby building, and he raised one arm in half-mocking salute. "I was wondering whether you would make an appearance."

The Senshi did not bother to respond to Ishamanar's comment, wordlessly leaping down to the street before him. The General of the Dark Kingdom grinned fiercely, gesturing his bodyguards forward. "This is far too fine a day to bother with dealing with you myself." His eyes glanced to his guards as he continued. "Kill them." The guards, hulking, reptilian youma Ishamanar had chosen for their unmatched strength and endurance, let out a loud, deep roar that shook the nearby buildings and charged the Senshi.

"Crescent Beam!" The thin, laser-like ray of light neatly speared the lead youma through one of its three eyes. The guard's massive body took one more stumbling step forward, but in less than a second the beast was half dust. 

As if in answer, one of the four remaining youma's jaws gaped open, spewing acid at the five Senshi. They scattered away from the attack, firing off a handful of attacks. Most of the magical blasts did little more then scratch the monster's armored scales. Another youma swiped at Sailor Mercury with one clawed hand, but the Senshi darted back out of the monster's range and cast a point-blank Shine Aqua Illusion. It did little more than stun her opponent. Sailor Mars and Jupiter were soon engaged with the other two youma, trading ineffectual attacks.

That left Moon and Venus to face the first youma, which seemed to be gearing up to launch another acid blast. Venus fired another Crescent Beam, but missed the eye this time, the attack bouncing off the youma's scales. A deep gurgling noise emanated from the youma's throat as it prepared to spit again.

Before the acid could be released, Sailor Moon extended one hand, an almost ridiculously ornate scepter appearing in her tightly clenched fist. Power surged through her and into the rod, and she mouthed the words, "Moon Spiral Heart Attack." The youma vanished, the torrent of magic not even leaving dust behind.

Ishamanar was not pleased to note that this left a clear path between him and Sailor Moon. After a moment, a globe of fire appeared in one of the youma general's four hands. In these few seconds, the combined efforts of Mercury and Venus brought down another youma. Ishamanar's eyes met Sailor Moon's, and he smiled.

The youma general concentrated briefly, feeling the dark energy that permeated the atmosphere, and the fireball in his hand... shifted. Where once it was hot and bright, now it radiated a chill darkness, shining darkly in his outstretched palm. Sailor Moon took a step forward, and Ishamanar hurled the dark flame at her. As the ball of darkness neared, Sailor Moon raised her weapon, brow furrowing in concentration.

The scepter began to glow a bright silver to match the onrushing blackness. Sailor Moon swung the scepter to meet it. When the two forces touched there was a loud crack. For an instant, the two seemed equally matched, Sailor Moon unable to force the darkness aside, while Ishamanar's attack proved unable to penetrate her defenses. Then, ever so slowly, the darkness began to retreat, the glowing scepter pushing through it.

Ishamanar concentrated, and for a moment the darkness deepened, the silver glow seeming to dim in its presence. Sailor Moon let out a pained grunt, and then the darkness shattered. She breathed heavily for a second, then took another step towards the dark general.

"Impressive," Ishamanar commented, red flames gathering in his hands. "But good enough? I think not."

With a surprisingly loud thud, the body of the last of Ishamanar's bodyguards fell over, rapidly turning to dust. By this point the sounds of combat had begun to attract nearby youma, though not so many as Ishamanar might have hoped. The motley collection of perhaps a dozen youma did not seem strong enough to delay the Senshi for long. He would have to make the best of that time.

He brought all four of his hands together, a rapidly growing fireball forming between them. "Now, die!" he screamed, a wide bar of flame streaming from his hands.

"Moon Spiral Heart Attack!" The two powers warred in the air between the Senshi and the youma. Ishamanar grunted, shifting his balance as he struggled to keep from being knocked over by the force of the conflict. Sailor Moon seemed unaffected, though had the youma been closer he would have been able to see beads of sweat streaming down her face.

Neither could say how exactly long the struggle lasted, but eventually the flames sputtered and died out. Sailor Moon's attack rocketed forward, forcing Ishamanar back and to his knees. The Senshi seemed to waver for a moment, faint from exhaustion, but she soon straightened and advanced on the fallen general.

Ishamanar managed to rise before she reached him, and with a quick glance he saw that not only were there no other youma left in sight, but several Champions and more Senshi had arrived while he had been concentrating on Sailor Moon. "I underestimated you, girl." The youma general smiled slightly. "But before you celebrate overmuch, look around you and think carefully on who has won this battle." For an instant, the world seemed to darken, and when it passed Ishamanar was gone.

"What now?" asked Ares, one of the recent arrivals.

"I think," Sailor Moon began. She paused, then started over. "I think I know what to do." Her hand clasped her brooch, and after a moment a thin pillar of silver light arced up into the fiery heavens.

Sailor Moon's vision dimmed, and the sounds of battle faded from her ears. Channeling power through the Ginzuishou consumed all her attention, as she wove magic half from instinct, half from guesswork. After a few timeless moments she felt a dark, familiar presence on the edge of her weave, and for some indeterminate time they grappled. Then the other force withdrew, undefeated but no longer willing to continue the struggle. With what felt like her last strength, she finished the weave, and sent it hurling at the half-grasped outlines of another, opposite weave.

She felt herself slumping over, someone's hands arresting her fall. Slowly, her vision began to clear, and she caught a glimpse of almost painfully bright, blue sky. She could feel unbound magic whirling through the streets of the city, sweeping youma in its grasp and bearing them back to their own world. Unfortunately, she could also feel those youma - far too many of them - who had drained too much energy to be so easily snared.

After a moment, she managed to rise, still blinking from the almost unnaturally bright seeming sunlight. She pushed aside Mars's hands, and took a deep breath. Even the air tasted somehow cleaner. She took another breath, then spoke, her voice weary. "Let's go. We still have work to do."

  


* * *

Night had long since fallen. After the confrontation with Ishamanar, Endymion and the remaining Champions had been found returning from escorting a group of civilians across what had recently been the line of battle. In the hours since then, both Champions and Senshi had engaged themselves with attempting to eliminate the remaining youma. The task was made more difficult by the fact that it was the most powerful and cunning demons who had remained behind. To prevent unnecessary complications, they did their best to avoid contact with the military units attempting the same thing, which did nothing to make the task easier or less tiring.

Now, exhausted both physically and emotionally, they regrouped at the stairs of the Hikawa Shrine, which fortunately had not been further damaged in the hostilities. There was almost no light - power was out in many sections of Juuban, and there was only a tiny sliver of new moon visible in the night sky. For several moments, the gathered warriors merely stared at each other, then almost as one they detransformed and headed up the stairs, into the dark, empty shrine.

Fortunately, they discovered that the shrine had power, and while the others gathered in the large room usually used for Senshi meetings, Rei went to prepare as much food as she could find. She returned before anything of importance was said. She placed the food in the center of the large gathering, and carefully sat herself as far as she could from Ikawa while still remaining in the group. This was made easier by the fact that, for the most part, the Champions had gathered in one clump and the Senshi at the other.

"Thank you," muttered one of the Champions she didn't recognize at first - after a moment's thought she placed him as Poseidon and in another moment recalled that she had been told his name was Hoshi - as he reached into a bowl of chips she had set down near him.

She merely nodded curtly in reply, and for several minutes there was no sound but that of the tired, half-hearted eating. Ami had her computer out and was fiddling with it as she ate. After a moment Meno moved near her and the two were soon engrossed in a quiet conversation Rei was too tired to follow, though she was unsure whether she would have been capable of doing so even fully rested.

A dark quiet depression hung over the group, and Rei found herself returning to the parting taunt of youma leader - Ishamanar, Ami had said his name was, reminding everyone that he had appeared briefly after the battle in which Saturn and Chronus were lost. "Before you celebrate overmuch, look around you and think carefully on who has won this battle." They had failed, and failed badly. How many people were now dead? She couldn't bear to think about it, and she was almost glad that she would probably never know the exact number.

Makoto suddenly stretched, yawning loudly. "I feel like I could sleep for a week." There was a brief mutter of agreement.

"We can't," Ikawa said flatly.

Haruka gave a slight nod. "There are still youma out there." Her hand tightened around Michiru's. "We have to kill them."

Ami raised her weary eyes. "We have to rest sometime."

"But not all at once," the female Champion Rei knew had to be Medea said. The man by her side - Hades - nodded.

Minako suddenly buried her face in her hands. "God, my parents are going to kill me."

Usagi started. "I have to let Mom and Dad know I'm all right!" She paused, a worried look appearing on her face. "I hope they're all right."

"We can call them," Rei said, rising. "Tell them we hid in the Shrine and you're staying the night here because you're afraid it's not safe to try and go home." Usagi nodded, and Rei walked over to the closest phone and lifted it up, only to curse and nearly throw it back onto the receiver. "The phone's out."

"I have a cell," Hoshi said, rummaging in his pocket. When he retrieved it and turned it on, he glanced at the small screen cursed quietly. "No good, it looks like the cell network is down too."

Usagi slumped. "Then I have to go home." Minako nodded in agreement.

Ami clucked her tongue. "My mother is certainly busy at the hospital, but I should still go home and try to get in touch with her."

Ikawa closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. "Who else has family in Juuban? Unazuki?"

Motoki was the one who answered, frowning. "I can tell Mom that she's staying in my apartment with me, but we'll still need to try and talk to her."

"All right," Ikawa said after a moment. "That's... five. You can go do what you have to do now. The rest of us, we need to split in half. One group will patrol now, the other will rest here. We switch places halfway through the night. In the morning, you five take over." He started suddenly, then glanced at Usagi. "Is that all right with you, Your Highness?" he asked.

It seemed to take Usagi a moment to realize that she was being addressed, and she blinked wearily for several seconds. "That's fine," she finally said. She straightened, forcing a bit of energy into her voice. "Let's get moving, then."

  


* * *

Author's Random Ramblings

1) One chapter and the prologue down... fourteen and the epilogue to go. I hope it takes a bit less than three years this time around.

2) Thanks to Angus MacSpon for prereading this chapter as well. Hopefully, the fight scenes should read a little bit better than they did in the draft I sent him.

3) Thanks also go to the whole host of people who participated in the "Youma Vs. The World" conversation that this fic sparked on the FFML.

4) Any and all comments, on both the prologue and this, are most welcome.

Started: November 19, 2003

Draft Finished: December 11, 2003

Draft Released: December 22, 2003

Final Released: January 16, 2004


	3. Chapter 2: Twilight of the Age

Shades of Darkness  
Sailor Moon Fanfic  
By: Aaron Nowack

Chapter 2: Twilight of the Age

"_History is a relentless master. It has no present, only the past rushing into the future. To try to hold fast is to be swept aside._"

- John Fitzgerald Kennedy

* * *

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is owned by Naoko Takeuchi, whose creative talents far exceed my most humble own. Distribution and other rights to Sailor Moon belong to lots of different companies that I do not own. I make or imply no claim to ownership of Sailor Moon or its characters. However, the text of this fanfic is mine, and should not be used without permission. Thank you.

* * *

Tokyo, like most cities large enough to be worthy of the name, never slept. Even at the very darkest moment, the deepest part of the night, Tokyo was awake, a fearsome hive of activity even at its calmest. The city's numerous lights far outshone the distant stars, and even the silver light of a full moon was at best a close rival to their brilliance.

But not tonight. Tonight, Juuban district was a dark, gaping hole in Tokyo's sea of light. Tonight, even the most hardened of criminals, masters of the night, ventured out warily if at all. Tonight, a fearful quiet - though not quite a silence - hung over the vast city. Tonight, the city of Tokyo relearnt a lesson that had been forgotten over the decades and centuries of human progress.

There was evil in the darkness. Though their numbers were far reduced from the thousand-strong legion they had been earlier in the day, monsters still walked the streets of Juuban, and ever farther abroad. They were creatures of nightmare, of fangs and claws, of fire and shadow, of terror and despair. The mere sight of one of the demons was enough to shake even the most battle-hardened of soldiers. In the darkness, the effect was multiplied a hundredfold. The night belonged to the enemy.

Very, very few dared to walk the streets of Juuban tonight. Few would have at this hour, even had the night been ordinary. Almost none of those felt it worth risking life and limb. Fewer still were willing to ignore the military-ordered curfew that had been broadcast on all radio stations almost continuously since the attack began.

Sailor Moon did not know that curfew existed, but it was doubtful that she would have cared if she had. At the moment, the only thought her mind could hold was worry over her family. She constantly imagined and reimagined scenarios that alternately left her house safely outside the limit of the youma's rampage or far behind those lines.

Few could have survived walking the streets in such a distracted state, but Sailor Moon was one of them. The vast majority of the remaining youma were more than intelligent enough to know how poorly they would fare in single combat against perhaps the most powerful of their foes. It was far easier to give her a wide berth and instead focus on picking off military patrols.

Thus, Sailor Moon was able to make her way through the streets, made unfamiliar through darkness, with no more difficulty than the occasional need to hide in one of the many dark shadows to avoid a nearby patrol. Even so, it took her almost a full hour to reach her home.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she found her house not only intact, but with several candles in the windows. She barely remembered to detransform before racing forward. She tried the front door, and was not surprised to find it locked. She pulled out her key and opened the lock.

Before she could open the door herself, it was almost flung open, and Usagi stood face to face with her father. He stood almost unnaturally still for the barest of instants, then almost fell forward, grabbing Usagi and pulling her close to him.

"Usagi," he breathed, his voice full of emotion, and Usagi could see tears of relief shining in his eyes. "Thank God!"

* * *

The throne room was not full. The vast chamber could hold several thousand, though not very comfortably. Though gatherings large enough to require such had been unusually frequent since Metallia's return, this was not one of them. Still, throngs of youma were scattered about the throne room, messengers darting from group to group or through the gargantuan main entrance, the metal doors of which were, as almost always, flung wide open.

The largest cluster of youma was on the far side of the room from those doors, around the dais on which the throne rested. Here the most powerful beings in the Dark Kingdom could be found, gathered around their unchallenged Goddess and Queen. The throne itself was given a wide berth, though how much of this was out of respect for Metallia and how much was out of fear of the silent Senshi who knelt by her side could not be easily determined.

Jadeite did not have the option of avoiding the Senshi, as his own humble, kneeling position left him almost staring directly at her. For the barest instant, their eyes met, and Jadeite shivered. At that moment, he was very, very glad that Saturn had been far from Awakening during his first battles with the Senshi. With a slight shake of his head, he forced the idle thought aside. He had far more important things to be worrying about.

"Rise, Jadeite." Metallia's voice was soft, but there was no doubting the iron hidden in it. Jadeite shuddered as he stood. Standing here like this, he could feel the dark goddess's claws sinking into his mind. Deep inside, he swore for the thousandth time since his encounter with the strange presence that he would have vengeance for this. He somehow managed to keep the rest of his mind placid, untroubled.

"You summoned me, my Queen," he said after waiting a moment to see if Metallia would speak.

"So I did." Metallia paused, her eyes meeting Jadeite's. For an instant, Jadeite felt as though he were naked, her gaze able to pierce his innermost being and lay bare his secrets. Yet, if she did, Metallia showed no reaction. "Why did you travel to Terra?"

Jadeite's throat was dry. Somehow, he was certain that Metallia would detect even the slightest attempt to lie. "Great Metallia," he began, then had to pause to swallow nervously. "I was eager… overeager, perhaps, to make war on your enemies." All true. "If this displeases you, I beg forgiveness."

Metallia made no reply. After a long moment, Jadeite decided to risk pressing his luck. "Great Metallia. Of all your Generals, it is I who have had the most experience dealing with the Terrans of this age. Please, allow me to use that experience in your service."

For an instant, he was certain he saw suspicion in Metallia's eyes, but then she merely dismissed him with a wordless gesture. He bowed once, then stepped back into the throng of youma surrounding the throne.

"General Ishamanar." The other general stepped forward at Metallia's words, bowing deeply.

"My Queen."

"You have done well, my servant. Tell me. How many youma do you believe it would take to raze this Tokyo to the ground?" Metallia rested one hand on Sailor Saturn's head as Ishamanar thought. The Senshi showed no reaction to the discussion of the utter destruction of her home city.

"Great Metallia. It is hard to say with any great certainty." Ishamanar thought a moment longer. "No less than ten thousand, no more than three times that."

Metallia smiled. "Then three times ten thousand youma it shall be. Jadeite." Jadeite again stood before the Queen. "Select your youma. It seems you have no small desire to avenge yourself on this city. It is my gift to you, should you serve me loyally."

It took Jadeite a moment to find words. "My Queen, it shall be done."

"Yes." Metallia rose from her throne. "When I give you the word, you shall take your youma, and this Tokyo will be no more." She raised her voice, now addressing the whole assembly. "It is time. Now, I shall do as I have promised. The accursed wards that keep you from your prey shall be lifted. Prepare yourselves." For a moment, the throne room darkened to a pitch black, and when the darkness lifted, Metallia and Saturn were no longer present.

* * *

When Metallia and her Senshi reappeared, it was far below the throne room, in the hidden sanctum from which the Queen had been summoned. Here, her power was raised to even greater heights, the thick darkness caressing her slim form like a lover. Here, there were no rules, save those formed from her own will. Here, all was as it should be.

And here waited her two most powerful servants, who knelt a bare instant after her arrival. Metallia smiled at the quick obeisance, but soon gestured for the two Dragons to rise. She did not waste time with any polite words, for there was no need for such with these two, bound to serve her since before the oldest histories of the Silver Millennium had been written. "Long ago, I forged two great magics to lay waste to all my foes held dear. One of them has been returned to me." Any ordinary being would have missed it, but to the other three in the chamber, Sailor Saturn's slight tightening of her grip on the Silence Glaive was blindingly obvious. Metallia, however, continued as though she had not noticed. "I would have you seek the other."

"The Gates of Time?" Loriel asked.

"To Pluto, then," Scalae said.

"Yes," Metallia said. The darkness thickened around her, somehow twisting and turning as though it were moved by a strong whirlwind. "And while you are there… destroy the castle. Leave not a single stone atop another."

"And Senshi Pluto?" the Dragon of Water asked.

Again, the darkness stirred. "All of the Senshi will kneel to me or die." Saturn shifted her stance slightly, but Metallia did not comment on it and the Dragons followed her lead.

"So may it be," Scalae said, and Loriel followed suit a moment after.

"So it will be," Metallia replied.

Scalae turned to the other Dragon. "This should not prove overly difficult. One Senshi should be no match for us."

"Better to be cautious," Loriel replied. "I will prepare some of my youma."

Scalae nodded. "I, as well." She turned again to the Queen. "By your leave, Great Metallia?"

The dark goddess nodded in reply. The two Dragons bowed, and an instant later Metallia was alone in her sanctum, save for the voiceless, motionless Senshi of Silence.

* * *

With one last shriek, the youma fell, its soulless body rapidly becoming no more than a tiny pile of dust. A moment later, Ares allowed his sword's flames to die out. This was the fourth youma the patrol group had encountered since they had set out from the Hikawa Shrine, and he was not sure whether that was a good thing. It was good that those youma were defeated, but if they had discovered this many already, how many more must walk the streets of Juuban this night?

"We're not going to be able to cover the whole area if we don't split up." Ares turned at the voice, and Hermes continued. "The youma have almost certainly spread far and wide by now."

"There are too many youma to split up," Sailor Neptune interjected. "If one of us gets ambushed by a whole group, help might not arrive in time."

"She's right," Poseidon said. "Splitting up would be too risky."

Ares glanced at the only member of the patrol who had not spoken yet. "Cyrene?"

"That isn't my name," Uranus said curtly, but there was no real heat in it. She glanced thoughtfully down the abandoned street. "I wonder…" she said softly, then continued in a louder tone. "We have all the soldiers crawling all over the place. If we use them, we won't need to split up."

Ares quickly understood her gist. "They'll react to any large incidents, so we can just follow them to anything major."

Uranus nodded. "It would help if we could listen in on their radios."

"Hermes?" Poseidon asked.

The other Champion pulled out his small computer. "Maybe. It depends on how secure their communications are."

"Try," Ares said after a moment. "Until then… maybe if we split into two groups?"

Before anyone could respond, there was a loud explosion. Poseidon's hands tightened on his sword. "That sounded like it was only a couple blocks from here."

Almost as one, the whole group leapt to the top of the closest building and began to race across the rooftops to the source of the blast. A thin plume of smoke could be seen rising in the distance, and soon the sound of screams reached their keen ears. When they arrived, they found a group of ten youma huddled around an overturned, smoking army jeep. One youma, an almost ten-foot-tall wolfman, seemed to hear their arrival. Its head swiveled to meet them, and even in the poor light they could see the blood dripping from its fanged maw. The monster's mouth gaped open as it prepared to utter a howl of warning.

Ares leapt down even as the youma roared. His blazing sword sliced out as he landed, separating one furred arm from the youma. Uranus wasn't far behind him, her golden blade driving up through the demon's jaw into its head. The wolf youma let out a pained yelp before it perished.

Soon, the battle was joined in earnest. Neptune had remained atop the building, but fired Deep Submerges at the monsters below with deadly accuracy. A winged, almost amphibian-seeming youma rose from the melee to face her. It dodged a Deep Submerge with surprising speed. Before Neptune could manage a second, it was upon her. Forked lightning spat out from its mouth. Neptune grit her teeth from the pain of the shock. A hard, fast punch forced the youma back.

Neptune took advantage of the brief reprieve this gave her. Her Deep Aqua Mirror appeared in her hands, pointed at the monster. "Submarine Reflection!" The youma didn't even have a chance to scream as it died.

Below her, Uranus and the three Champions had finished off the remaining youma. After taking a moment to catch her breath, she joined them on the ground. She glanced at the still burning jeep. "Any survivors?"

Ares shook his head grimly. "The youma worked fast."

Uranus kicked over one of the piles of dust that the youma had left behind. "So do we."

Poseidon frowned. "But not fast enough." No one answered him.

Hermes cocked his head slightly. "I think I hear some more jeeps coming."

"Then let's move," Uranus said. "We've still got a lot of ground to cover. And a lot of youma to kill."

However, they encountered only a handful more youma, each of whom was easily dispatched. When the time came, they headed back to the Hikawa Shrine. They found Medea waiting for them, sitting on the stairs of the shrine.

"Are you all right, Sachiko?" Poseidon asked her.

"N…" Medea trailed off before she even finished the word, shaking her head. "I mean, yes, I'm fine. I just couldn't sleep, so I figured I might as well guard the others."

"Will you be all right out there?" Ares asked.

Medea nodded. "I'll be fine."

Poseidon shook his head. "No way. Not if you haven't gotten any rest. Deinas?"

Ares seemed to think a moment. "Will you really be all right?" he asked. "Things seem to be quieting down, there's no need to push yourself too hard."

After a moment, Medea yawned and was forced to shake her head. "No. I guess I wouldn't be much use out there like this. I can still keep watch here, though. Come on, let's go wake the others so you five can get some sleep."

No one was able, or willing, to argue with that.

* * *

Sailor Pluto stared at the gap in the courtyard wall where the Gates of Time had once rested. It was not the only spot at which the wall was broken - in fact it would be easier to list the few places where it was whole than the many where it was not. Yet, this gap seemed emptier somehow. It wasn't that there was now nothing there, it was that there was now an… absence, something that hadn't been there before.

Pluto cursed an ancient curse from her long-dead birth language. She paused, then let out another, much more modern curse. This was no time for her to be just staring at empty air. But then… what was this the time to do? Something told her that it would not be wise to abandon her post now, even if there seemed to be nothing left to guard. She had searched the ruins of Castle Charon a dozen times over for even the slightest trace of either the Gates or the Seal, and found nothing. And after every search, she found herself here, staring at this thrice-cursed… absence.

The spot where the Seal had been did not disturb her so. Perhaps it was the fact that its absence was more easily explained. She had seen the Seal crack as Metallia's power grew, then seen it shatter under Saturn's attack. If she searched hard enough - and she had, several times - she could find pieces of the dais that had been the Seal's focus, some of them large enough to make out pieces of the mural that had decorated it.

The Gates of Time, though… they had simply been missing when the darkness that had consumed the castle on the Seal's breaking lifted. She had not foreseen it; she could find no explanation for it. She could not even begin to guess what might have had the power to destroy or steal the Gates, much less why or how it could have been done. The only saving grace was that, whatever had happened to them, they were not being used. She would surely have felt that.

In fact she almost wished that they would be used. Then, she thought, she would almost certainly be able to find them. She could deal with whoever had taken them, and then set about fixing whatever damage had been done. With a shake of her head, Pluto dismissed the line of thought. She was not so certain that she would, in fact, be strong enough to reclaim the Gates from whatever force could have taken them, and there was certainly nothing she could do on that front unless she could find the Gates.

But that again turned her mind to what had first disturbed her. She could not think of anything more productive to do. She still felt she had to remain here, but even had she gone to Earth… what would she do? She knew all too well how fragile the future of Crystal Tokyo was, and without access to the Gates her foresight was too limited to reach so far. Her future self had told her she knew what she must do, but she feared that she knew no such thing. Any action she took could shatter the future she sought forever, dooming the world to an eternal darkness. Better to do nothing.

Pluto blinked as a new feeling intruded on her consciousness. Something was coming. Something dark, something powerful. She could guess its goal and mistress, even if she could not decipher its form or identity. It was coming to search for the Gates of Time, and it almost certainly served Metallia. Pluto rose. This force seemed too strong to stand against openly. She would have to hide, and wait for an opportunity to strike.

She shifted slightly through time, and the courtyard around her took on an unreal quality. Even its ordinary quiet was more silent when she did this. She was now ever so slightly out of phase with the timestream - close enough to observe, but not close enough to be seen. Thus prepared, she waited, and tried to concentrate on the coming threat.

But however hard she tried, she could not silence the voice in the back of her mind that reminded her that not acting was also an action.

* * *

Eighteen thousand years ago…

Scalae, the Dragon of Fire, one of the most powerful beings in the known universe, was a slave. Down the sides of her long, serpentine form were twisted, dark scars, the brands marking her servitude. She knew this, but it did not make her loyalty to her mistress any less real. She could no more disobey her than she could quench the fires of her own soul. Even when what she was ordered to do was terrible.

She was no great friend to the humans; she had long ago lost count of the number she had slain since she first discovered them. But nor did she count herself among their enemies. So long as the humans did not set foot in the fiery wasteland she called home without good reason, she had been more than content to allow them dominion over the rest of the world they had named Mars. Over the countless years, vast cities had grown and the dry deserts had become full of green, growing things.

Now they all burned at her command. She had been ordered to become an instrument of vengeance, and so she had. Even this she could not deny her mistress, even though she knew that, had any part of her been free, it would have cried out in utmost despair. The humans had been unprepared for her, and now loyalist and rebel alike perished in her flames as she scoured the world.

The capital city drew near, the last outpost of mankind on this world. Ancient, terrible weapons launched powerful magics at her, and perhaps in the back of her mind, unknown even to her, she wished them strong enough to destroy her. Instead, she wove through the beams of magic, sending fire down to devour both the weapons and their wielders without even a thought. The few attacks that struck her did no more than delay her. There was only one power on the ten worlds that could stop her from completing her task, and it belonged to the one who had set her at it.

Flames rained down as she approached the center of the city, countless thousands dying with every second. A squadron of mages atop the palace walls responded with a torrent of magic, but it paled beside the magics she had already faced. Scalae concentrated for the barest instant to overcome the palace's strong defenses. Then the building vanished in a terrible inferno, and she knew that those valiant mages had died in seconds. She turned to finish off the remnant of the city.

And stopped, a call sounding in the depths of her soul. Instantly, she vanished from the skies of Mars. She reappeared, in human guise, in a large, though nearly empty, throne room on Luna. She silently stepped forward and knelt before the throne. She did not need to look to know that her three siblings knelt beside her.

A woman stood on either side of the throne. On the throne's left stood Senshi Saturn. There was something eerie, some strange madness, in her violet eyes, and in her gloved hands the Time Staff glowed softly. On the right stood Senshi Pluto. Her eyes were dead, and she held a silvery polearm Scalae did not recognize. It too glowed, and in its harsh light Scalae saw the death of worlds.

Still, she had eyes only for the woman who sat on the throne. Serenity, daughter of Serenity, called the Great to her face, and the Dark behind her back. The Queen of the Golden Millennium, heir to a dynasty that ruled all the inhabited worlds. A lineage that once had been honored beyond any other. Scalae knew that even the least of her crimes had been enough to darken that name, much less the entirety of them. Still, Scalae could do naught but serve her.

A strange thing caught her attention. The Ginzuishou was nowhere to be seen. Never had she known the Queen to not have it on her person. Perhaps those strange rumors she had heard that the Princess had stolen the Ginzuishou and fled Luna were true. Scalae shifted. What could this mean, that the very artifact that had bound her to this service now rested in the hands of another?

She was clearly not the only one to notice this, as Mordrangar, the Dragon of Earth, spoke from his place beside her. "My Queen," he said. "Were the rumors true then? That the Ginzuishou was stolen? That your daughter and your Senshi have joined the rebels?" Scalae did not think she was imagining the slight tone of triumph in his words. It was a thought that stirred something deep within her, that their bonds could be pressed even that much.

Queen Serenity rose, dark lightning crackling in her fists. There was a large crack, and Mordrangar was sent flying back to land against one of the gargantuan, golden pillars that littered the throne room. "You will never mention them again, Earth Dragon," she said. "With the Ginzuishou or without it, the rebels will be destroyed. I swear it."

Mordrangar muttered an apology, and slowly rose. After standing unsteadily for a moment, he walked back to his place in the line and knelt again.

"My Queen!" It was the Dragon of Water who spoke, rising and stepping forward. Scalae glanced up at him, and saw that he looked strangely sickly. "I feel I must beg this of you. I know not what your purpose is, but no good can come of it. I am no Time mage, but even I know that the flow of time is best left undisturbed. This hole you have bored -"

"Silence!" It was Senshi Saturn who spoke. "You know the Queen's will!" She laughed, and that laughter chilled Scalae to the bone. "With the Gates of Time, I will make all as it should always have been!"

"My reign will last forever," Serenity said. She stared down at the Water Dragon. "Your advice has been considered, and rejected." After a moment, she addressed all four Dragons. "These so-called Champions draw near. You will delay them, so I may finish my work."

Kyrien, the Dragon of Air, was the first to answer, and it was the only answer he could give. It was the same answer Scalae found herself giving the barest instant later, along with the other two Dragons. "Your will, my Queen."

Serenity nodded. "Then, go."

That was then…

* * *

…and this is now.

Fire and water poured from the center of the courtyard, forming massive clouds of deadly hot steam. Anything alive and unprotected in this vortex of magic would have died instantly and painfully. Even the ancient, shattered stones began to bubble and melt under the onslaught. A few, tattered remnants of only slightly less ancient defensive magics were utterly destroyed, not even the slightest thread of mana left to show they had been there.

Slowly, the attack died down. No more flame burst into being, no more water poured forth. Still, clouds of steam hovered over the now-unrecognizable courtyard, which was littered with shallow pools of boiling water. For the merest moment longer, the hissing and steaming of these pools was the only sound that disturbed the ruined courtyard.

Then there was the distinctive snap-hiss of a portal opening, a sound that few humans left alive could recognize. From the shimmering gateway poured a menagerie of strange creatures, ranging from humanoid figures seemingly formed of pure fire to scuttling crabmen who clutched spears that, though crude to the eye, radiated a deadly magic. Dozens followed dozens, until more than a hundred of the youma filled the courtyard.

Then, two ordinary seeming beings emerged from the gateway. If one did not look too closely, it would be possible to think them human, but their eyes were enough to prove them far from that. The woman, a simple red dress covering her slim frame, glanced about the courtyard with featureless red eyes, pools of flame that lacked white and pupil. Her companion, a larger man who toyed absently with his ornate robes, had deep blue eyes to match her red ones.

He spoke. "Somehow I expected there would be more resistance, Scalae." The snap-hiss sounded again, as the portal closed behind the two.

"As did I, but I am not so surprised, Loriel." The woman waved one hand. "Look, the Gates are not here. The Senshi must have moved them when our Queen struck here."

Loriel sniffed at the humid air. "Perhaps. But I still sense powerful magic here."

"You are right," Scalae said. She glanced at the youma that surrounded the pair. "Search the ruins. I don't want a stone left unturned." About half the youma moved to comply, but another half hesitated, glancing uncertainly to the Water Dragon. Scalae's eyes began to glow faintly. "In Great Metallia's name, move," she snapped. The hesitating youma wavered for a second, then raced to join their fellows.

"That was hardly necessary," Loriel said. "They only waited for my word."

Scalae snorted. "And what if they waited for your word in the midst of a battle? We all serve only one ruler again, Best they learn now."

"I suppose you may be right." Loriel sniffed again. "I do not sense anything here. Not even the Senshi."

"This courtyard is heavily warded to protect the Gates," Scalae explained. "It does not surprise me that the warding works in both directions."

"Warded?" Loriel paused a moment. "I do not think so."

Now, Scalae hesitated as her own senses probed the castle. "You are right. There are no wardings left here." She paused again. "They must have been destroyed by our Queen's arrival."

The two were silent for some time. Around them, the sounds of their youma tearing the ruined castle apart filled the air. Absent were any sounds of fighting or resistance. Scalae frowned. "It seems there truly is nothing left here."

Loriel did not respond, and the Fire Dragon glanced at him to see that his eyes were closed. "What is it?" she asked.

"There is… something here; I can feel it now. Hidden away, in a pocket of time."

"Can you find it?" Scalae asked.

"Time may not be my domain, but it should be close enough," Loriel said. "Now, be quiet while I work."

* * *

For once, despite the late hour of her return home, Tsukino Usagi woke without need for either alarm clock or cat. She could not say whether she had dreamed during the night. So much of what had occurred the previous day seemed so unreal that, still half-asleep, she was not sure how much of what she remembered was true and how much was merely nightmare. As she returned to awareness, she despaired at just how much was revealed to be reality. In the bright light of the morning sun, it seemed impossible that the last day could have been real. However, she knew that it was. To think otherwise would be worse than madness.

Usagi shook her head to clear it of the dark thoughts, and glanced around her room. She saw Luna still sleeping, and smiled softly. The poor cat had worried as much as, if not more than, her parents, and had refused to sleep until Usagi had told her what had happened. Usagi briefly considered waking the moon cat, but after a moment decided against it, however delicious the irony might have been on a happier day.

Hearing movement from the kitchen, Usagi dressed and made her way downstairs. Any hope she might have had that the events of the previous day had been a nightmare was shattered by the images displayed on the television, which her father was watching from his place at the kitchen table.

"Usagi, you're up," her mother said, looking at her as though she didn't quite believe her presence. Usagi was not sure how much of that was due to the events of the previous day and how much was due simply to the early hour. "What would you like for breakfast, dear?"

Usagi muttered some unthinking reply and seated herself across the kitchen table from her father. Her eyes returned to the television, the images bringing back the feeling of yesterday all too well. She could remember the terror, the despair, the helplessness. Usagi shook her head firmly. She would not, could not, go down that path. If she was certain of anything, it was that yesterday had only been the beginning.

Some noise sounded from the stairs, and Usagi's father glanced up from the television. "Shingo's up early, too, I see."

"Mm-hmm," was all her mother said in reply.

Usagi's eye was drawn to a line of text scrolling across the bottom of the television screen. Maybe on some other day it would have merited a brief mention by the anchors, but not today. There were far more pressing matters than unexplained high levels of sunspot activity. Usagi, however, knew what, or rather who, was the cause. Metallia. Just like the first time.

By this time, Shingo had arrived, and soon the whole family was seated around the table, eating breakfast. There was little sound, save for that of the television, and almost no talking. The news program was almost nothing but repetition and speculation, with only the occasional new fact - that the center of the incident had been the same as the first time the sky had turned red, that the Americans were going to ship troops over from South Korea, that there were reports that both attacks had been preceded by UFO sightings the night before. Usagi had to resist the urge to snicker at the last.

Shortly after breakfast was finished, Usagi was at the door, slipping into her shoes. Her father glanced up from the kitchen table, where he was still reading the paper. "Usagi?" he asked. "Where are you going?"

"I need to go to Rei's," Usagi answered truthfully.

Her father blinked. "Are you kidding? Usagi, there are still monsters out there! You're staying home!"

"But -" Usagi began, then stopped. After a moment, she started over. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"Apparently not," her father replied. As she headed upstairs, she could hear him mutter to himself, "Honestly…"

A few moments later, Usagi shut the door to her room behind her. Luna was awake and waiting for her. "Good," the cat said. "I was afraid you'd already left for the Shrine."

"You want to come?" Usagi asked.

"Of course I'm coming!" Luna replied. "I might not be as much help as I used to be, but I'm not useless!"

Usagi nodded and walked over to the window, quietly sliding it open. Luna hopped out of it, onto a nearby tree limb. The cat glanced back at Usagi. "Well? What are you waiting for?"

Usagi looked back at her closed bedroom door. "Sorry, Dad, Mom," she whispered. Then she clutched her brooch and whispered five more words. A few seconds later, Sailor Moon leapt out the window and began to make her way to the Hikawa Shrine.

* * *

The throne room, vast though it was, was not the largest room in Beryl's - now Metallia's - palace. That honor went to the immense antechamber that adjoined it. At the height of Beryl's reign, it had served as both an informal, neutral meeting ground and as a place to hold those who could not fit into the throne room proper when too many attended the Queen. During Jadeite's brief reign, it had been rarely used, the throne room itself being more than large enough to accommodate the Overlords who served him.

Since Metallia's return, it had rarely been less than half-full. Nearly all youma of any power and their retinues were gathered in and around the palace. Even when the dark Queen herself was not holding court, one or more of her Generals was almost always about either the throne room or the antechamber, and power attracted youma like flies. And, as always when so many youma gathered, the antechamber had quickly become the nexus of a web of intrigue, countless plots and counter-plots always in motion.

The most powerful stood above and outside these petty struggles, their main interest simply in seeing which youma emerged as cunning and strong enough to be offered a place in their service. Only rarely would one of the Generals or their near-equals stoop to interfere in these intrigues, and when they did they could ruin even the most promising upstart with barely an effort… or just as easily raise them up to unheard-of heights. It was this twin fear and desire that ensured that the antechamber was always crowded.

Now, it was Jadeite who moved through the crowds, and word of his purpose spread like wildfire before him. The Queen had granted him leave to choose thirty thousand youma to take and raze the human city of Tokyo to the ground. Youma who only minutes before would have spit at the General; who, however powerful, all knew was out of Metallia's favor; now were effusive in their flattery to him, if not quite as verbose as they were when describing the merits of the forces they could give to his army.

Jadeite was impeccably polite to even the weakest youma who approached him, suitably impressed by descriptions of even the smallest, weakest units offered him. Even the most blatant attempts to curry favor were met only with smiles. In his wake, almost every minor Overlord was convinced that he was the General's first choice. More than one altercation had already broken out between rival claimants to that title.

Asphara, consort to General Ishamanar, watched the proceedings with some amusement. It was obvious that Jadeite had planned almost every one of those fights. He was using Metallia's mandate as an excuse to have his most loyal servants punish those who had abandoned him at the end of his reign. Had he dared, he might have struck at the other Generals' minions, but it was clear he did not want to provoke such a conflict.

Asphara was glad when Jadeite chose to come here, for it made her task much easier. Here, it was of no note that a youma such as herself would watch Jadeite's every move. Even if the General were to notice her, it would mean nothing to him. At worst, he would think Ishamanar was keeping an eye on him. More likely, he would simply think her a curious onlooker, just like the countless other Overlords who had observed his progress through the antechamber.

With these thoughts in mind, Asphara showed no sign of distress as Jadeite approached her. When the General arrived before her, he bowed deeply, a too-friendly smile on his face. "My lady Asphara, it is always a pleasure to see you."

Asphara gave a deep bow of her own. "Likewise, General." Overlords began to gather around the pair like vultures around carrion. Asphara was by far the most powerful, and the least friendly, youma Jadeite had yet approached.

Jadeite's smile widened. "I understand that you too are familiar with the city of Tokyo, my lady." Indeed she was: masquerading as a human for quite some time, she had gathered much of the energy that had gone to resurrect Metallia. Jadeite continued. "I would be most honored if you would consent to join me in my return to that city."

Asphara smiled politely. "I'm afraid not. It seems I have developed a distaste for the stench of human."

A nearby youma snickered, and a flash of irritation appeared on Jadeite's face before it smoothed again. "I am most sorry to hear that, my lady," he said. "But perhaps you could still perform a small favor for me?"

Asphara couldn't stop herself from raising an eyebrow. "You may ask."

Jadeite bowed again. "I would deeply appreciate it if you would carry my invitation to your consort's thousand." He smiled a smile that this time made no pretense of being polite. "Or at least whatever is left of it." Another youma snickered, and this time Jadeite's smile merely widened.

Asphara nodded her head, acknowledging the counterblow. "I will pass your request to my consort, General. I am pleased to see that you seek experienced youma for your strike." Asphara cocked her head, as though thinking. "Particularly since relying your own experience might not be the wisest of plans. How many of the youma you took to Terra survived?" There were more than a few laughs this time - perhaps unfairly, given the similar lack of success the other Generals had experienced.

Jadeite opened his mouth to reply, but before he could a strange quiet fell over the antechamber. Both Jadeite and Asphara's heads turned, and they watched as the crowds of youma parted. Through the gaps in the crowd strode Sailor Saturn, her dull eyes focused directly on the two. When she arrived, she bowed shallowly and stiffly to each in turn. "General Jadeite, Overlord Asphara."

"Senshi," Jadeite said, a bitter tone in his voice as he uttered the title. "What do you wish of me?"

"Nothing," Saturn replied, turning to Asphara. "Overlord Asphara. Great Metallia requests that you attend her." A low mutter ran through the crowd.

"Her will," Asphara said unthinkingly.

Saturn nodded curtly. "Then follow me." She turned away.

Asphara bowed to Jadeite. "I am afraid you must excuse me, General."

Jadeite nodded absently, already deep in thought, considering the implications of this summons. "Of course. Our Queen is not to be kept waiting."

Soon, Asphara and Saturn were walking alone through the labyrinth beneath the palace. As they neared Metallia's hidden sanctum, the darkness thickened until it was almost a solid thing. Strange movements could be seen out of the corner of one's eye, but it was impossible to get a good look at them.

Suddenly, Saturn spoke. "Do you truly hate the smell of humans?"

Asphara froze. "You… you were listening?"

"Yes." Saturn's pace did not slow, and she did not elaborate further on how she had eavesdropped on the conversation without being noticed prematurely by the throngs of youma. Asphara had to race to catch up with her before answering.

"No," she said after a moment. "I do not. It was merely to embarrass Jadeite." Asphara briefly wondered why she bothered to answer the Senshi's question. The question of why the Senshi had asked seemed so far beyond her as to be useless to pursue. She had not thought Saturn had that much free will.

"That is good," Saturn said, and she stopped before the door to Metallia's sanctum. Asphara would have been willing to swear that she saw a slight smile on the Senshi's face, which quickly vanished as the door slid open.

When the two were inside and the door closed behind them, Metallia spoke with no preamble. "Child. You lived on Terra for a time, correct?"

Asphara knelt. "To gather the energy for your return, my Queen."

Metallia nodded and for a moment her eyes met Asphara's. The youma felt every part of her laid bare, her entire existence measured and weighed out. Then the dark goddess nodded. "You will do," she said, and Asphara was unable to contain a sigh of relief.

"My Queen?" she asked after a moment.

"To sunder the barriers between this world and Terra forever, I need two things. A being of that world who has made its home here and a being of this realm that has lived on Terra." Metallia glanced to Saturn, who stood silently watching. "Hotaru here provides the one; you will provide the other."

Asphara nodded. "What must I do, my Queen?"

Metallia smiled, and began to explain.

* * *

Usagi was, perhaps predictably, the last to make it the Hikawa Shrine. Even Luna beat her to the shrine, as she paused at the threshold to change back to her normal self while the cat went on ahead. When she did arrive, a crowded room awaited her. The group that had taken the first patrol had awakened, while both the second patrol and those who had gone home the previous night had returned. It made for quite the chaotic scene, particularly since Usagi was so used to being here with just her four closest companions.

Luna had already found Artemis on Minako's lap, and the two cats were already deep in conversation. Meno and Ami were huddled together over their computers not far away. In a corner Medea - Sachiko - sat yawning, looking as though she had gotten even less sleep than the rest. All in all, the Shrine seemed more like the aftermath of a large slumber party than a war room.

Until one decided to look more closely at the people, that is. It would be a rather brutal slumber party that would produce the many bruises and minor wounds scattered among the crowd, and a very strange slumber party where those attending would start at every sudden noise from outside. And none would wake from any ordinary slumber party with the shell-shocked expressions that still adorned many faces after the previous day.

Mamoru rose as soon as Usagi entered and walked over to greet her. "Are you all right?" he asked after a moment.

It took Usagi several seconds to find an answer. "About as well as can be expected," she finally said. It was unlike her to give such an answer, she knew, but somehow it seemed the only thing that could be said.

"Your family was all right then?" Mamoru continued

Usagi nodded, but a sad look passed over her face. At Mamoru's questioning look, she shook her head. "It's nothing. How was last night?"

"Ikawa and the first group had a worse time of it, it seems," Mamoru said. "By the time we went out on patrol, things had mostly calmed down."

Usagi frowned. She remembered all too well how many youma she had felt remaining in Tokyo after she had forced the connection to the Dark Kingdom closed. "They can't all be dead," she said.

"I guess even youma have to rest sometime," Mamoru replied.

Someone nearby cleared his throat. Both Mamoru and Usagi started, then turned to see Motoki standing close by with Unazuki a half step behind. "Did you manage to meet your family?" Motoki asked after a moment. Usagi nodded. "That's good," Motoki continued, then his face turned serious. "Since we're all here, should we get moving, Princess?" he asked.

It was so strange to hear Motoki call her Princess, but Usagi couldn't argue with the suggestion. She nodded, glancing over to Minako and Ami. The other two Senshi noticed her attention, and rose to leave.

"Do you want me to come?" Mamoru asked. "I'm not too -"

"You just came off of, what, four hours of patrolling?" Motoki interrupted. "After yesterday?"

Mamoru sighed. "You're right, Motoki." He turned back to Usagi. "Take care," he said, after a moment spent seemingly searching for some other words.

Usagi nodded, and Mamoru took a step away, leaving her with the four she would soon be patrolling with. "Are we ready?" she asked after a moment.

Motoki and Ami simply nodded, while Unazuki and Minako almost simultaneously replied "Yes."

"Then there's no reason to wait," Usagi said, placing one hand over her brooch. The other four nodded, and soon two small rods and two much larger swords had appeared from nowhere in their hands. Usagi opened her mouth, but before she could utter even a single word, something unexpected happened.

Not far outside the shrine, a youma roared.

* * *

Pluto smiled grimly as she happened across a lone youma. It was an eel-like creature, a being that looked hopelessly out of place out of the water. Still, she knew that impression belied the dark strength she could feel it radiate. None of the youma the Dragons had brought along were weak. With the barriers of the Dark Kingdom falling away, there was no need for them to limit the power of those they brought over. She snorted. As though the fact that the Dragons themselves could pass through was not proof enough of how much the barrier had weakened.

Pluto wasted no more time on thought. She positioned herself behind the youma, and allowed the bubble of time she had surrounded herself in to fall away. The youma started as it felt her staff on the back of its neck. "Dead scream," Pluto whispered, and the youma vanished into dust without even a chance to cry out. In less than fifteen seconds, Pluto had shifted herself out of time again.

This was the fifth youma she had killed, but she knew that it was futile. The youma were not the problem; they would find nothing in the ruined castle. It was the Dragons that concerned her. It was possible, however unlikely, that there was some clue to the Gates' location left behind that she had not noticed. If any could find such a thing, it would be the Dragons.

The only silver lining to their presence was that they proved that it was not Metallia who had taken the Gates. If there was one thing she and the Champions could agree on, it was that the Gates could never again fall into the Dark Queen's hands. She had been less than a handful of years old when last Metallia had held them, and those days still gave her nightmares, an unthinkable number of years later. She had no use for the oaths Chronus, her so-called father, had made her swear, but that was one oath she had made to herself. She would never let the… the abomination was all she could use to describe it, as much as she hated to use Chronus's term. Still, regardless of the word, the oath was the same. Never again.

But, her troubled mind reminded her, if it was not Metallia who had taken the Gates… then who? No answers presented themselves, and her wanderings brought her back to the central courtyard, where the Dragons now stood alone.

"There is… something here; I can feel it now. Hidden away, in a pocket of time." It was the Water Dragon who spoke, and Pluto started. The Gates? Then she cursed her stupidity. Not the Gates… it was herself the Dragon sensed. The Fire Dragon said something she missed, but Pluto was forced to laugh at the male Dragon's reply.

"Time may not be my domain, but it should be close enough."

True, there was a reason many spoke of Time as a river. However, no water mage, however powerful, was going to best Pluto at her own game. She easily evaded the Water Dragon's clumsy probings as she prepared her response. She wove time back on itself, and placed it in the Dragon's path. There; that would keep the Water Dragon occupied for quite some time.

Pluto turned to the Fire Dragon, who stood silently watching the other Dragon, and pursed her lips. The Water Dragon would be all but dead to the world. One Dragon… she might be able to handle that. If she could, it would be a great victory. Not allowing herself to hesitate, Pluto stepped back into the time stream. "Dead -"

Fire burst into being around Pluto. "Scream," the Fire Dragon finished helpfully, and Pluto complied.

After a moment, the Senshi regained control, and the fire died out. Still, she swayed unsteadily on her feet as she faced the Dragon, and her teeth were gritted in pain.

"I was wondering when you would make an appearance," the other woman said mockingly. "Did you really think yourself a match for me, girl? I remember seeing you as a babe in your father's arms, at the court of Serenity the Peacemaker."

"I am surprised your mistress lets you utter that name," Pluto said, and the Dragon laughed.

"Her daughter is dead, and she still lives and reigns. That is revenge enough for my Queen. At least so far as the Peacemaker is concerned."

"But the Peacemaker's heir lives on," Pluto responded, silently cursing the pained weakness she heard in her own voice.

Scalae waved a hand negligently. "If she cannot even slay Ishamanar, my Queen will sweep her aside like nothing when the time comes."

"Yet it was not my Princess who fled this castle," Pluto responded.

Scalae snarled. "Enough of this. Burn." This time, Pluto was ready for the flames, and her staff forced them aside. Yet, she was still pushed back under the onslaught.

"So, Senshi," the Dragon said. "Where are the Gates? Perhaps if you tell me, I will convince the Queen to let you join Saturn as her slave."

Pluto pushed a smirk to her face. "The Gates will never be Metallia's."

Scalae cocked her head, and smiled. "But you will be." The flames suddenly closed in on Pluto, and the Senshi screamed again. "It was Saturn and Pluto who served to the end before. It should please my Queen that they would serve her again."

Pluto slumped to the ground, too weak to move, and Scalae let the flames die down, but only for a moment. They reformed themselves into bands of fire, surrounding her tightly and preventing any escape. Scalae turned to the Water Dragon. "Loriel." He did not respond, and after a moment the Fire Dragon lay a hand on him. He started and turned to Scalae, then saw Pluto.

He quickly realized how he had been tricked and cursed the Senshi. Pluto smiled softly. At least she had that small victory.

Scalae called for the youma to return. And nothing came. Scalae called again.

Loriel frowned. "There's something here. Something powerful."

Scalae called a third time, then staggered back as though struck. "The youma… I cannot feel them. Not a one."

"What could do this without us noticing?" Loriel asked worriedly.

Before Scalae could reply, black lightning descended from the dark sky, slamming into the two Dragons. Pluto's bonds vanished, and the Dragons wavered on their feet.

Scalae fired a burst of flame into the heavens, and another bolt of darkness descended from the sky in answer. Almost simultaneously, a beam of ethereal, purple light appeared from midair and stuck Loriel in the chest, sending him flying back to smash against a still standing stone wall. He rose unsteadily, searching for the attacker.

Pluto rose, taking hold of her staff and pointing it at the Water Dragon. "Dead Scream!" The Dragon blocked the attack with his hand, but he wavered again afterward.

Scalae gestured, sending a wave of fire at the Senshi, but Pluto easily sidestepped the attack. Even as she prepared to attack again, another purple beam appeared, this time striking Scalae. The Fire Dragon cursed, flinging white flame at the empty air the beam had come from, to no apparent effect.

Another bolt of darkness descended. This time Loriel deflected it, sending it crashing into a pile of rubble, sending heavy stones flying. "Come out and face me!" the Dragon shouted, but he received only harsh, mocking laughter in response.

Pluto launched a Dead Scream at the Fire Dragon, and landed a solid hit. Scalae whirled around to face her again, but even as flame gathered in her hands the purple light struck her again. This time she fell to her knees. Darkness gathered over her, lancing downward for the finishing blow.

And was again forced aside by Loriel, who stood protectively over the fallen Dragon of Fire. Scalae rose, and together the two Dragons began to pour out both fire and water, a vortex of magic that made the one that had preceded their arrival seem weak. Pluto barely had a chance to slip out of the timestream before the storm of magic reached her.

When the magic cleared, even the ruins of Castle Charon were gone, and the Dragons were nowhere to be seen. Pluto returned to the timestream and waited until her exhaustion left her no choice but to rest, but her rescuer did not emerge.

* * *

The full assortment of Senshi and Champions raced out of the Hikawa Shrine mere moments after the roar. The youma outside seemed to be ready for them, however. Dark blades of energy met the warriors' charge, forcing them to take cover. As the blades struck the ground, huge clouds of dust were kicked up, preventing anyone from getting a good view of the monster.

Sailor Uranus launched a World Shaking in the general direction of where she thought the youma had to be. There was a loud explosion, but no sign the attack had actually hit the monster. Hers was not the only attack to go off, but none of the others seemed to have any more effect.

Even before the dust from its opening strike had died down, the youma was among the warriors. It seemed like a dark shadow in the dusty air, effortlessly slipping through the attempts to stop it. It flung more energy blades from its hands. One hit Hades in the chest. He flew back, slamming loudly against the shrine wall.

By now the dust had begun to settle, and it was possible to get a good look at the youma. It seemed to be nothing more than an empty suit of dark green, almost black, armor. Yet, malevolent red eyes shown from its shadowed helm. It raised one arm, and the Senshi saw that it had no hands. An energy blade emerged from the dark hole at its wrist.

"Shine Aqua Illusion!"

The youma sidestepped Mercury's attack, then wove under a Venus Love-Me Chain. Ares leapt at the youma's back, but it spun around with almost impossible speed. It parried Ares's flaming sword with one arm. Simultaneously, it plunged the dark blade at the end of its other arm into Ares's chest. The Champion's armor held, but he was forced back.

Sailor Moon raised her scepter. "Moon Spiral -"

The youma turned from Ares and hurled itself at Sailor Moon. It flung an energy blade at her. It went wide, and Sailor Moon continued her own attack.

"- Heart -"

The youma reached Sailor Moon, swinging its other blade at her. The Senshi was forced to break off her attack to dodge. The youma swung again, and this time Sailor Moon stumbled. She fell, and the youma raised its weapon for the finishing blow.

And it was hit by a stunning number of attacks from all directions. It wavered, and Sailor Moon scrambled out of the way before it toppled over, raising another huge cloud of dust.

When the dust cleared, the figure that was revealed was human. The young boy coughed weakly, before speaking. "I'm sorry. It was all I could do to come here."

"Ryo!"

"Urawa!"

Ryo looked at Hermes and Mercury for a moment before turning away. "Sorry," he repeated.

"What… what are you doing?" Mercury asked.

Ryo smiled sadly. "Dying. I hope."

"We'll -" Sailor Moon began.

"Kill me," Ryo interrupted.

"No!" Mercury almost yelled. "We already went through this!"

"I can heal you, like before," Sailor Moon said.

Ryo shook his head as he rose to a kneeling position. "No. It is not that simple, Usagi." He paused, as though searching for words to use. After a long moment, his eyes sought out another member of the group facing him. "Prince Endymion," he said.

Endymion took a step forward almost unthinkingly.

"Can you feel it?" Ryo asked.

"Feel what?"

"Her call," Ryo said. "Once, you too served her. Without even thinking of it, she calls all her creatures back to serve her." There was no need to explain who 'she' was. "The others, the rest of the Seven Great Youma… they are safe, I think. She believes them dead, and with them sealed by the Ginzuishou they are deaf to her call."

"But then you -" Sailor Mars said.

Ryo shook his head. "I know what I really am. The darkness in my soul is closer to the surface. That is enough." He reached down, picking up a small, sharp stone. With a sudden movement, he drew it across his palm, and held out his hand. The blood that dripped from the gash he had made was black. Only a few seconds later, the wound had completely healed.

"I cannot resist Metallia's call for long. If I live, I will go to her, and she will learn that Seven Great Youma still survive." His eyes turned to Sailor Mars. "Would you be able to fight your grandfather, Rei?" Then, to Zeus. "Your old girlfriend, Furuhata?"

"Reika," Zeus breathed. Meno had told him, but it was hard to believe.

"The Seven Great Youma," Jupiter said. "They weren't so tough, though."

Ryo smiled bitterly. "You saw how much I have changed since then. What you faced then were only shadows of what we truly can be. And never did you face the power we could be together."

"I remember," Poseidon said harshly. "We saw on Luna."

"The odds are against you already," Ryo said. "You cannot afford to grant Metallia another weapon. I must die."

"We'll find another way," Sailor Moon said.

"You will try," Ryo said. "I do not think it will work."

Hermes finally spoke. "Have you seen -"

Ryo shook his head. "I have not. But I know how far gone I am."

"I must still try," Sailor Moon said, and she slowly pulled the Ginzuishou from its place in her brooch, and it began to glow with a soft silver light.

Ryo recoiled, hissing in pain, and Sailor Moon let the light die. "No!" Ryo said. "Do it quickly. Don't listen to anything I say. I won't be able to keep control much longer."

Sailor Moon raised the Ginzuishou again, and soon it shone like a tiny sun in her hands. The light bathed Ryo, and he snarled at her, his voice becoming twisted and guttural. "Let me go, Serenity."

She didn't respond, and the light strengthened. Ryo rose, shouting in more human tones "Stop! Please!" As the words left his mouth, he collapsed back as though some terrible force was assaulting him. "Metallia take you all!" he hissed, moments before the silver light around him became so bright that he could not be seen.

Then the light died down, and there was nothing left where Ryo had knelt but a thin smear of white ash. "Ryo…" Mercury whispered, falling to her own knees. Hermes continued to stand, a cold look on his face.

"Thank you." Everyone started at the still, small voice. A tiny spark of silver light rose from the ash, then grew, becoming an almost transparent image of Ryo. "Meno," he said, looking at his brother.

Hermes said nothing.

"I'm sorry I never told you the truth."

Hermes looked away. "Ryo," he said after a moment, and his voice was full of unshed tears.

His brother smiled faintly then glanced to Mercury. "I'm sorry, Ami," he said after a moment. "I didn't want it to end like this, but it was the only way." He whispered three more words, that somehow only reached her ears, and Mercury sobbed. "Don't cry," he said more loudly. "I am free, now."

His eyes turned to Sailor Moon, but he addressed the whole group. "Some of you already know that I sometimes see the future. Soon, darkness will fall. The Ice will come. But before you despair, remember this: Metallia's victory is not yet written in the book of the future. She can be defeated. This war can still be won."

Ryo's image began to waver, and he closed his eyes. "It is time," he whispered. "I wish you all luck. I fear you will need it." He paused a moment longer, and no one spoke. Finally, Ryo found one last word, moments before his image vanished entirely. "Goodbye."

* * *

Author's Random Ramblings

1) And that's two chapters down. At this rate… well, I don't want to calculate how long it will take to finish this. Though, this one gets something of a pass since I wrote Fallen Chapter 5 while working on it.

2) The previous chapter of this story can be found at my website,

3) Many thanks to Angus MacSpon for his pre-reading, as is ever the case. Thanks also to Michael Chase, David McMillan, and Aondehafka for their corrections on the draft release.

4) Any and all comments of any sort are most welcome, as is also ever the case.

5) And be sure to tune in next chapter, wherein the proverbial fecal matter really hits the air circulation device.

Started: January 26, 2004

Draft Finished: March 23, 2004

Draft Released: April 07, 2004

Final Released: October 06, 2004


	4. Chapter 3: The End of the World

Shades of Darkness   
A Sailor Moon Fanfic   
By: Aaron Nowack

Chapter 3: The End of the World

"_Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;   
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,   
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere   
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;_"   
- "The Second Coming," W. B. Yeats

* * *

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is owned by Naoko Takeuchi, whose creative talents far exceed my most humble own. Distribution and other rights to Sailor Moon belong to lots of different companies that I do not own. I make or imply no claim to ownership of Sailor Moon or its characters. However, the text of this fanfic is mine, and should not be used without permission. Thank you.

* * *

This place did not exist. At least, it did not exist in the sense that a "place" was generally considered to exist. There was no map that this place could be located on, nor could such a map be made. There were no directions for how to reach it. It was next to nothing, far away from nothing. It was infinite in size, it was smaller than the tiniest of subatomic particles. 

In the center, if such a thing could be said to have a center, stood the Gates of Time, closed and sealed. It was impossible to get to the side of or behind the Gates. Whatever direction one looked at them from, they always seemed to face the same way. Surrounding the Gates in all directions were walls of gray mists. No matter how far one moved in this place, the mists, if that was what they were, grew no closer and the Gates no farther away.

There were two people here, the only two who knew of this place: a man and a woman. The woman stood closer to the Gates, almost as if she were protecting them from the other. The man simply sat, cross-legged, in mid-air. Though his face could not be seen, it was somehow obvious that he smiled.

"Have you no words of thanks?" he said, a mocking tone in his voice.

"Why are you here?" the woman asked, as though the man had not spoken.

"How long have we worked toward these days?" the man asked. "Maybe I wish to celebrate their coming with you."

"Why did you aid me?"

"Aid you?" the man laughed. "I merely helped Sailor Pluto."

"You know what I mean," the woman said through gritted teeth.

"This is not the first time we have worked together," the man said. "We seek the same future, after all."

"Hardly." The woman's hands tightened on her staff.

"For now, at least. Neither of us would have been pleased if the Dragons had taken Sailor Pluto."

"Sometimes I wonder. I have no doubt that you could find a place in Metallia's service."

The man laughed a grating laugh. "You truly do not understand me, if you think I would serve her."

"I do not want to understand you."

"See, now that is where we differ." The man smirked. "I very much wish to understand you. Understanding a foe is the first step to defeating one."

"Is that why you are here?"

"No." The man paused. "Perhaps I merely came to accept my lovely opponent's gracious thanks for my aid."

"You yourself said," the woman replied, "that you did not aid me. You merely helped Sailor Pluto."

The man was silent for a moment, and for an instant dark energy flared around him. "I suppose I must go now," he said as the energy vanished, struggling to keep his tone jovial. "I have preparations to make." He paused. "Try not to tread on them too much," he continued, and the threat in his voice was clear. "It would be a shame if Serenity walked away with the prize because we interfered with each other."

"Metallia," the woman said harshly. "Not Serenity. She has abandoned any right to that name."

"Ah, yes. You have to believe that, don't you? Else she might turn your own oaths against you." The man smiled. "I must admit it. She is most skilled in the art of twisting minds."

"She is not alone in that," the woman said.

The man laughed again. "True. Perhaps one day I will have the pleasure of practicing on yours."

The woman's stance shifted, and the gray mists began to whirl as though stirred by some wind. "Do not test my patience," she said after a moment. "Or perhaps you will learn again who is the stronger of us."

Without a further word, the man vanished.

* * *

There was silence. Hermes slowly walked over to the rapidly disappearing ash that had only moments ago been his brother. He knelt, placing one gaunleted hand over it. After a moment, he began to whisper. At first, Sailor Moon could only say that the language he spoke was not Japanese. 

Then it came back to her, the knowledge she only vaguely knew she had. Somewhere in her were the memories of Princess Serenity, who had lived so long ago on the Moon. She could never summon them up on command, but sometimes the memories came to her on their own. As they did now, so she could understand the words as easily as she could have had they been in her birth tongue.

A funeral chant. Not just any chant, but one the young Princess had heard only a handful of times - at least until the end, when she had heard it far too often. This chant was reserved solely for the warrior who had fallen facing the forces of darkness. It was a hymn of praise to the warrior's courage, a promise that the death would not be in vain, and an oath that the darkness would be destroyed, that the struggle would go on. The thought came to her that, even in the worst fighting, neither rebel nor loyalist had used this prayer for those who had died in that war. Even then, it was reserved for those who fell before true evil.

Hermes paused at the end of the prayer, letting the last sounds hang in the air, then added four more words. The other Champions began to echo them, and Sailor Moon surprised herself by joining in. Even more surprising, she could hear the other Senshi following suit.

"Until all are one."

The Champions shifted uncertainly, but Sailor Moon could tell that they appreciated the gesture of unity. Hermes rose, and she could see that even the ash was now gone. Her eyes shifted, and she noticed Mercury had risen from where she had knelt. There was no sign of tears on her face now, and there was something cold and hard about the way she stood. Something silent passed between her and Hermes.

"She will pay for this. I swear it," the Champion of Ice said, and there was no need to ask who 'she' was. Sailor Mercury nodded curtly, but said nothing. It seemed no one could find the words to respond. After another moment, Hermes shuddered, and his armor vanished, leaving only Urawa Meno behind. He cursed softly under his breath. "What am I going to tell our parents?" he asked, and once again no one could answer him.

A few moments later, the rest of the Senshi and Champions began to detransform. Sailor Moon was about to follow suit, but stopped when Mercury laid a hand on her shoulder. "We still have to patrol," she said in a tight voice.

Sailor Venus was by her side in a moment, and Aphrodite and Zeus weren't far behind. "Are we ready to go?" the male Champion asked. Sailor Moon just looked at Mercury.

The Senshi of Ice nodded. "I'll be fine." Sailor Moon wasn't so sure, but this didn't seem the time or place to press her.

Not long after, the five were standing on top of a low building. Mercury had pulled out her visor, and was scanning the area for any sign of the youma. They all seemed to have gone to ground. If one didn't look closely enough to see the military vehicles and damaged buildings, it might even have seemed like an ordinary day.

As Mercury continued her scan, Sailor Venus over to stand next to her and Sailor Moon. She glanced over her shoulder at Aphrodite and Zeus, who were quietly talking together a little way off. Venus shifted uncomfortably a moment, then spoke.

"My parents know I'm Sailor Venus," she said quietly.

Sailor Moon blinked. Mercury looked away from her computer. "How did they find out?" she asked in a voice just as quiet. It was obvious that neither of the Champions had noticed the conversation.

Venus shifted again. "I told them. It was the only way I could get them to let me out of the house." She paused. "Was it… okay for me to do that, Usagi?"

"It's fine," Sailor Moon said without thinking.

"How did they react?" Mercury asked.

Venus looked even more uncomfortable, something Sailor Moon would not have thought possible a moment before. "They were pretty mad," she answered after a moment. "Particularly once Dad figured out that I'd been Sailor V too…" Venus trailed off, then sighed. "I think it's more shock then anything, though. I'm sure they'll get over it." She smiled weakly. "What about you, Usagi?"

Now it was Sailor Moon's turn to look uncomfortable. "I… didn't have permission to leave. I just snuck out the window with Luna." What was she going to do when she went back home? She hadn't thought of that when she had left. Her parents had to be going crazy.

"I didn't have a problem," Mercury volunteered after several seconds of silence. "My mother has been at the hospital the whole time. The phone at our apartment was up, though, so I called her and let her know I was okay." She smiled slightly, but there was no mirth in it. "She even suggested that I go over to a friend's house if things calmed down, so I didn't have to be alone."

Sailor Moon's discomfort grew as she looked at Mercury. Someone else might have thought that the other Senshi had not been affected by Ryo's death, but Sailor Moon knew that that couldn't be the case. The emotions were buried deeply, too deeply, but she knew they were there. The way Mercury was trying to pretend they weren't couldn't be healthy. Sailor Moon opened her mouth, though she was not sure what she meant to say. Before she had a chance to find out, another voice intruded.

"Have you found anything?" Zeus's sudden question made the three Senshi start.

Mercury turned back to her scanning, and after a half-second answered. "Maybe. There's something about a kilometer and a half east that might be youma."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Aphrodite asked.

Sailor Moon nodded. "We'll talk more later," she whispered to Venus, though she glanced again at Mercury as she did so. She continued in a louder voice. "Let's get going."

* * *

It was hard to tell that this was Metallia's sanctum. The ever-present darkness was different somehow, raging like a whirlwind. Not even Asphara's youma eyes could pierce it, but she could feel it, feel the blackness press on her like a solid thing. It tore at her, threatening to sweep her away, consume everything that made her what she was and leave nothing but an empty shell behind. 

Still, she stood her ground. She could sense Sailor Saturn standing by her side, even if she could not see the Senshi no matter how hard she tried. In the darkness, it was hard to imagine that the source of the power she felt was nothing but a young, human girl. She could not help but think of the Senshi in those terms, even though she knew well that it was a terrible mistake.

However, that power was nothing compared to the power she felt before her, the power of her goddess. She knew that it was at Metallia's command that the darkness had risen, and by her will that it raged so. Indeed, the only thing that she could see through the void was the crescent moon that shone on the dark Queen's forehead. It blazed with a bright, golden light that was somehow darker than even the nothingness that surrounded them.

Asphara could feel Metallia smile. "Now, it is time." The goddess's quiet voice seemed to come from every direction. Something in the darkness changed, and Asphara realized that Metallia's attention had returned to her. The youma shivered slightly. "You understand what you are to do?" the Queen asked.

"Yes, Great One," Asphara managed to answer, struggling to keep her voice level. She knew what she must do, even if the reasons for it were far beyond her.

"Good." The sense of Metallia's presence lessened slightly as her attention turned to the Senshi. No words that Asphara could hear passed between them, but after a moment something in the darkness changed. For a moment, Asphara thought its rage had calmed, but then she realized that it had not lessened at all. Instead, it had become… focused, ordered.

Something in the youma stirred, beating in time to the void that surrounded her. Every twist of nothingness Metallia wove resonated deep in Asphara's body. Her skin tingled with an almost pleasurable feeling. She found it hard to think, and could not say whether minutes or hours passed before Metallia spoke again.

"It is ready." The golden crescent moon, still the only thing Asphara could see, flickered slightly, even its somehow dark light weakened by the blackness that surrounded it. "Jadeite," Metallia said, and Asphara knew the word reached the General's ears. Even had she not, she soon would have, as Jadeite's reply reached her own.

"My Queen?" The General's voice showed no sign of surprise.

"You are ready." It was not a question.

"This is… somewhat sooner than I expected, Great Metallia." Jadeite paused. "I have selected my forces, but it will take some time to gather them."

"Then begin," Metallia said. "And prepare a small strike force, immediately. I would have my enemies distracted while I work."

"Your will. But when shall I make the main attack?" Jadeite asked.

Asphara could feel Metallia smile. "You will know."

* * *

At the Hikawa Shrine, after the patrol group left, the one that had just recently returned retired to get some rest. They were soon joined by Sachiko, who finally gave into the tiredness from her night-long vigil over the Shrine. This left the five members of the first patrol alone in the large room that usually served as the Senshi's meeting place. 

Meno sat alone, even Hoshi having given up for the moment in his efforts to talk to the Champion of Mercury. He stared down at his computer, but did not move to touch it. Every so often, he would clench a fist almost tightly enough for his nails to break his skin, then relax it. If not for that motion, it might have been possible to think him unconscious.

On the other side of the room, Hoshi was telling Michiru an old story about when Cyrene's father had tried to engage her to Prince Endymion. Though the Champion took great care in replicating the precise combination of obscene gestures the Senshi of Air had used to respond, and Michiru smiled at his efforts, it was obvious that neither truly had any interest in the tale. Maybe some other time, but not now.

Haruka walked over to where Ikawa stood, glancing backward at the other two. "Please tell me he's making that up," she said after a moment. "Or at least exaggerating."

Ikawa turned to the Senshi. "I couldn't say. It happened when Phoebe and I were…" Ikawa trailed off and sighed. "Well, it isn't important what we were doing."

Haruka gave Ikawa an appraising glance. "Have you talked to her?"

He nodded. "The night after Castle Charon."

"Good."

Ikawa waited for some other question or comment, but that was apparently all Haruka had to say on the subject. He glanced up at the rough, temporary patch in the room's roof. "It's really not so long ago that we made that hole, is it, Haruka?"

"You made it, not me," she replied, also looking upward. "At least you got my name right this time."

Ikawa chucked softly. "Sorry. It's just that you remind me of her."

"Well, that's only to be expected," Haruka replied.

"Not really," Ikawa said. After a moment, he explained. "The Inner Senshi seem to be mostly the same, but from what I've seen Michiru and Dia are fairly different."

"Oh?"

Ikawa smiled slightly. "Uranus and Neptune were the last two worlds to be resettled during the Silver Millenium. Even at the end, both of them were basically frontiers, and Neptune much more so. Dia would probably have fit right in with the Martian nomads, though you were… or rather Cyrene was a bit of a civilizing influence on her."

"Somehow I find that hard to imagine." Haruka paused, then asked the question she found herself having to ask. "And… Iris?"

Ikawa clenched his fists, then slowly relaxed. "Iris was… Iris." He paused, then continued. "I'm really not the person to ask about her." Ikawa stopped again, and was silent for several more moments. "Once, before Juno, I asked you… Cyrene, how you could be so friendly with her. She told me something… something about darkness and light, I can't actually remember exactly what." He chuckled softly.

"Sounds more like something Michiru would say," Haruka commented.

"Well, I do remember what Dia said when I asked her more or less the same question," Ikawa answered. "She said, 'Because when I'm stuck on some dead asteroid with a thousand demon-summoning cultists, there's no one on all ten worlds I'd rather have at my back.'"

Haruka smirked. "That I can understand." She paused, then after a moment she asked another question. "Do you regret it?"

Ikawa frowned. "Regret what?"

It took Haruka a moment to respond. "Everything, I guess. The war. How we fought when you Awakened."

Now it was Ikawa's turn to stand silently as he thought. "No," he said, but then an instant later he continued, "Yes." The Champion paused again. "I'm not really arrogant or stubborn enough to just say that everything we did was right and that I don't regret any of it. I think the situation we're in would put the lie to that.

"But we always tried to do what we thought was right, and I don't regret that."

"I think I can understand that," Haruka said. "You know about the Death Busters?"

"Meno told us the outlines," Ikawa said. His eyes sought out Haruka's. "We are not so different, you and I."

Haruka just nodded slowly.

* * *

Sailor Pluto stood on the smooth plain that had once been Castle Charon The Dragons' fury had scoured the castle's ruins until nothing was left, even boiling away the frozen gases that normally covered Pluto's surface. There was no sign left that human hands had ever tamed this place, nothing left but a Senshi and a dead world. Her world. 

Long ago, before even the ancient Senshi of Time had been born, Pluto had been known throughout the Solar System as the one world that mankind could never claim. The world's dark power stole away the lives of any who dared to tread on it, save only one. The one chosen as its Senshi, the Senshi of Death, had nothing to fear from Pluto. Rarely did she leave the dark world, save in times of great crisis or for the purpose of consorting to gain an heir.

Only shortly before the current Senshi Pluto had been born had that changed. The increasingly desperate rebels, fleeing the overwhelming power of Serenity the Dark, had reached the outermost world, their last chance for a haven from the Queen's armies. The aged Master of Death, one of the ten most powerful mages in the Solar System, spoke with the Senshi Pluto, the one Senshi whom the Queen had not yet turned to her will.

The two sacrificed their lives to build Castle Charon, a shelter where the rebels could land and fear neither the Queen nor Pluto's power. The Master's title had gone to his young apprentice, who with the other nine Masters would later summon the Champions. The Senshi's had fallen to her daughter, on distant Luna. When she emerged from the Queen's palace for the final battle, she called herself the Senshi of Silence and bore a strange polearm - a bargain between two devils that would haunt the Solar System for millennia to come.

When Serenity the Peacemaker forged her covenant with the Champions and founded the Silver Millennium, both the weapon and the title had gone to the new Senshi Saturn, a young girl who was both a niece to Saturn's king and half-sister to the fallen Senshi Pluto. The vacant post of the Senshi of Time would be granted to its current holder when she was old enough - the daughter of the man who had become the Champion of Saturn, the first person in recorded history to be born on the planet of Death.

With one stroke, it had been hoped, Serenity the Dark's foul bargain had be annulled and the Gates of Time had gained a Guardian incapable of using them to their fullest, most dangerous extent. The disasters that left the Golden Millennium a hollow ruin were never again to be repeated. On all counts, those hopes had been proven wrong. The post of Senshi Saturn became dark and haunted, even as the mysteries of the Gates had opened themselves to Senshi Pluto. And the Silver Millennium had fallen as surely as its predecessor, a fall so great that it would take thousands of years for the recovery to even begin.

Sailor Pluto could remember those days as clearly as if they had been yesterday. She remembered watching in something close to awe as Queen Serenity's final magic had swept the rebel fleet from Pluto's skies, remembered her tears at the price of that magic. She remembered watching as the cities of Mars had died slow deaths as the magics that gave them water had faded, as the survivors on Terra had fallen to barbarism and beyond, as those who had stayed with her in Castle Charon had grown old and died.

Now she could see it all happening again… not with the magical senses that had all but abandoned her, but with her own eyes. The other Senshi had not the slightest real comprehension of what was coming. Sometimes, she wondered if she herself did. The world mankind had built for itself had long since exceeded all her expectations of what could be accomplished without magic, becoming in some ways even greater than the long-vanished Silver Millennium, yet she feared it had no real defense against the coming storm.

Sailor Pluto could feel Metallia working, weaving some dark magic. She had tried a few, cautious probings around the edges of the sorcery, but these had only confirmed that it was far beyond her ability to interpret or disrupt. Any attempt, she feared, would be worse than futile, yet she could feel the urge building to do something.

She tried to tell herself that she could not risk taking action, that she needed to remain apart to preserve the future she had sacrificed so much for. Yet… she could no longer see the way, and a quiet voice in the back of her head reminded her that it could also be inaction that would doom Crystal Tokyo. Twin fears warred in her, and she was paralyzed with indecision.

"I will be watching," was all her future self had said when she had demanded to know how she could determine what to do. Pluto grimaced. If she was, she could not be very impressed so far. Metallia's plans proceeded apace, and all Pluto had accomplished was to be nearly captured, saved only by two saviors who had refused to reveal themselves.

It had to have been two - the magics were too different for it too be otherwise. Both had seemed somehow familiar, resonating with different parts of her, but no matter how hard she had tried, she could not place either. All she could say was that her magical senses were blind to both - not that that amounted to much considering the sorry state of those senses without the Gates of Time.

With that thought in her mind, Pluto made a decision. Her future self had seemed confident that she would figure out what to do. Without the Gates to aid her, she could only rely on instinct. There was nothing left to defend here, and every instinct in her burned with the desire to be at her Princess's side, to strike whatever small blows she could against the oncoming darkness.

An instant later, Pluto was once again a dead world.

* * *

Asphara waited in the darkness as Metallia began to weave her magic. Incredible power flowed throughout the sanctum, an electric sensation that left the youma even more nervous and on edge than she had been before. She glanced to the side, where she knew Sailor Saturn stood, but her eyes still could not penetrate the void-like blackness. She turned back forward, facing the darkly glowing golden crescent on her Queen's forehead. 

She could not say how long she waited. Time seemed stretched and twisted, almost irrelevant. The darkness boiled with power, chaotic yet bound by a single, overwhelming will. Metallia was silent, all her attention focused on her work.

Some sound came from Asphara's side, and she once again half turned to face the Senshi. Still, she could see nothing. For an instant, the turbulent darkness calmed, then re-erupted into an even fiercer storm. The youma could feel something tugging at her, and it was all she could do to keep from being swept away.

A dull-seeming stone dagger floated out of the darkness, and Asphara reached up and grasped its hilt. For an instant, the darkness deepened and she could see neither the blade nor her hand. Then it lifted somewhat, and a shallow bowl, made of the same dark stone as the dagger appeared in the void before her. Red blood coated the bottom of the bowl, and Asphara hardly had to glance at the blade to confirm that it bore matching bloodstains.

Metallia's golden crescent flared brighter, and for an instant Asphara could hear her voice. "Now."

As she had been told, Asphara extended her free hand across the bowl, then without a second's hesitation drew the bloody blade across her palm. Despite its seeming dullness, the dagger cut both easily and deeply. Pale ichor dripped from the gash, falling into the bowl. As each droplet hit the blood, there was a hiss and a flash of steam.

Asphara's sense of the Senshi's presence by her side redoubled, and for an instant she felt as though she could even hear the human's heart beat. The sensation faded quickly as the bowl withdrew into the darkness, taking the mixture of Saturn's blood and Asphara's ichor with it. Asphara released the knife, and it too vanished.

Her hand throbbed dully, the gash she had made a line of fire across her palm. Ordinarily, so minor a wound should have healed in moments, but ichor still flowed freely from it. The pain seemed to have a strange echo to it, and Asphara had to wonder whether the feeling truly existed or was merely an effect of her light-headedness.

Then Metallia spoke, and the question fled her mind. "Very good, child," she said. Metallia's presence caressed Asphara, and in a single moment of burning pain her wound sealed, leaving behind only a thin, pale scar. For a few instants more the scar throbbed with much lesser pain, but soon that too faded away.

"Jadeite," Metallia said, and once again Asphara knew the goddess's words reached her General. "Is your distraction ready?"

"Yes, my Queen," came Jadeite's voice in reply. "The main attack will take somewhat more time to prepare, but thirty of my most powerful youma await only your word to strike."

"My word is theirs, then," Metallia said.

"Your will." For several seconds, Jadeite was silent, then he continued. "They are on their way, my Queen."

* * *

"I've been thinking." Meno's sudden comment caused the other four people in the room to start and turn to look at him. Hoshi looked as though he was about to crack some joke, but he bit the words back before they escaped his mouth. After a few more seconds of silence, Mercury's Champion continued. "We know that the Dark Kingdom is the prison formed by Queen Serenity for Beryl's forces." 

Michiru spoke first. "Yes."

Meno continued, "Just as she imprisoned our fleet. Both prisons were bound with the Great Seal. When the Seal was destroyed, the fleet's prison -"

"- was disconnected from our universe," Ikawa said. "You told us when you tried to free it after Castle Charon."

"But the Dark Kingdom was not," Hoshi said. "Why not?"

"I can only assume that Metallia has anchored it somehow," Meno said. "But that anchor -"

"- is a weakness," Haruka said harshly, and Meno nodded. "What would happen if we disrupted it?"

"It would certainly sever any portals between the Dark Kingdom and Earth, and make it much more difficult - perhaps even impossible - for new ones to be established." Meno smiled a grim smile that never touched his eyes. "As a best-case scenario, with the boundary so weak, the Dark Kingdom might not be able to hold together. It could be completely destroyed."

Ikawa frowned in thought. "Can we do it?"

"I don't know. I'm not even sure where to begin." Meno sighed, frowning himself. "I need to talk with… Ami. She might have some ideas."

"They should be back soon," Michiru said, glancing at a clock.

Haruka's eyes were narrow. "I don't expect this will be easy."

"You expect correctly. Metallia will certainly detect such an effort, I believe," Meno said. "Likely, unopposed, she could foil it."

"We fended her off before," Michiru said. "At Castle Charon."

"Barely," Ikawa said. "And if we do this our strength will be divided." His face darkened. "And I fear her power may yet grow stronger."

"But it might be our best shot," Hoshi said with a glance at Meno, and the other Champion nodded.

"When Ami returns, I will discuss it with her," he said. "There's a lot to work through before we can be sure it's worth trying, or even really possible."

"Still," Ikawa said, "it's the best suggestion I've heard all day." Despite his words, his face remained grim. "Yesterday proved we need to do more than just wait for the youma to strike."

Meno's computer beeped. He opened it, and his face paled. "It's detected a new youma incursion."

Haruka's henshin stick appeared in her hand. "How many?"

"Not many, yet," Meno said. "Nothing like yesterday."

"Any is too many. Somebody wake the others," Ikawa said.

Hoshi nodded. "On it," he said as he left the room.

Ikawa smiled, but the smile did not lighten his face in the slightest. "Then let's get ready to go."

* * *

Rashira looked at the human city that spread tantalizingly below her. The four scarlet wings that sprouted from her back were somehow both feathered and scaled at the same time, and reflected the light of the mid-morning sun in patterns of sickly light that shifted with each slow and irregular beat. Such motion should have been insufficient to keep her decidedly non-aerodynamic form aloft. Nonetheless, she did not fall. 

She had served Scalae, the Dragon of Fire, for three decades. She had even risen until from time to time she served on the Dragon's council of advisors alongside the most powerful Overlords in the South. Then the Overlord Chresk had gained Scalae's favor, and driven her from the council and the South. When Jadeite had begun to reform his legions in the wake of his return, she had followed him, and risen to some shadow of her former prominence. Now, the Dark General had given her this honor, to lead the vanguard of his attack on this Tokyo.

In one clawed hand she clutched a bow of red stone that he had given her. The power in it beat in time to Rashira's hearts, and a smile appeared on her human-like face as she carefully sighted one of the strange, impossibly tall towers of glass and metal. As the three squads of youma under her command appeared around her, an arrow of pure flame formed in the bow.

With a primal scream sounding deep in her throat, she loosed the missile. The explosion that resulted when it hit her target caused a shockwave that shattered the glass on neighboring towers. The whole middle section of the target itself vanished in a ball of flame. When the fire cleared, there was nothing left behind but a half-melted metal skeleton.

The tower stayed upright for several more moments, a testament to the skill of the builders. Then, the weakened metal crumpled, and the upper portions crashed down on the remainder of the structure. Rashira took a brief moment to consider how many humans had perished, but quickly decided that, whatever the number, it was nowhere near enough.

Rashira glanced at her retinue, and spoke. "Lord Jadeite has briefed all of you on your missions. You know what to do." She smiled again, and any human that could have seen the smile would have known fear. "In Metallia's name… begin."

Fully two-thirds of the youma that had come with her vanished, teleported away to begin their own tasks. Nine youma remained hovering beside her, some with the aid of their own wings, others with no visible means of support. One, a leathery winged creature, spoke, pointing at the base of the ruined tower. "Look, my lady."

Rashira's gaze followed the other youma's talon, and her smile widened as she saw a large cluster of humans and their strange metal beasts gathered there. Without a word, she summoned another arrow and loosed it. She didn't even bother to wait for the explosion to clear before she called forth the next arrow of flame, her eyes searching for the next target.

She was surprised to find that target also airborne. Apparently Terra's metal beasts were not limited to the ground, for three approached the youma squad, strange blades whirling above their bodies. One of them spat forth a stream of metal, and one of Rashira's youma, caught unawares, perished quickly.

The other two beasts joined the attack, but now the youma were aware of the threat. Rashira frowned slightly, and as they neared her the pieces of metal twisted away. Two of her youma hurled themselves at the closest of the beasts, shattering its glass head. One pulled a screaming human out of the wounded creature's head even as it plummeted to the ground, where it perished in flames.

Rashira loosed her fiery arrow at a second beast. It crossed the distance in seconds, piercing its target's belly. When the explosion died, there was nothing left but twisted, half-melted metal. The third beast turned to flee, but by now Rashira's youma had surrounded it. They toyed with the strange creature for a few moments before Rashira ordered them to finish it.

As its corpse fell to the road below, Rashira gazed curiously at it. It was not like anything she had encountered in the Dark Kingdom, but then, no creature with such weak magic would survive long there.

"Lady Rashira!" one of the youma called, and she shook her head to clear it of the strange thoughts.

"What is it?" she answered, but even as the youma replied she saw what had caught its attention. Rashira looked down at the group of Senshi that stood on a nearby rooftop, and smiled as she willed another arrow to form.

* * *

In the darkness, Asphara waited. Metallia had been silent for some time, and the only sound she could hear was her own breathing and the almost synchronized breaths of Sailor Saturn. If Metallia breathed, no sign of it reached Asphara, but there was no doubting the dark queen's presence. The darkness moved and pulsed at her command, as she silently wove the greatest magic Asphara had ever witnessed. 

There was something more going on here, she came to realize. Surely by now, with the barrier between this Realm and Terra so weak, more than enough energy to sunder it forever had been gathered. Still, Metallia gathered in energy, and Asphara was certain that she would not stop until every bit of free energy in the Dark Kingdom was concentrated in this sanctum.

Something disturbed the darkness, and Asphara half-turned to face it, then wrenched her gaze back to the golden crescent moon that hung before her as her goddess spoke. "I expected your return sooner."

"My Queen -" two voices began. Loriel and Scalae. After a moment, the Water Dragon continued. "Castle Charon is destroyed."

"I have no time for games, Dragon," Metallia said. "You know what I sent you to do."

"The… the Gates of Time were not there, Great Metallia. They must have hid -"

"And Senshi Pluto?" Metallia asked.

"She escaped, Great Metallia," Loriel answered nervously.

Metallia's response was dangerously quiet. "Escaped?"

Now Scalae answered her. "My Queen, two allies came to her aid. Unknown allies."

For a long moment, Metallia was silent. "Two?" she finally said. "Explain."

"A time mage, easily more powerful than Pluto herself," Scalae said. "And another who wielded the dark energies with equal strength."

"I see," Metallia said, then paused. Asphara would have sworn that she could feel the goddess smile briefly before continuing. "No matter. I have another task for you two on Terra."

"Yes, my Queen," Loriel said. "We are to go to Tokyo with Jadeite?"

"No, Dragon. Not Tokyo." The darkness pulsed. "There are other cities. It is time they too knew my wrath."

"Great Metallia, the boundary still holds. The energy required to send us so far from the portals so soon after opening a portal to Pluto -" Scalae said.

"- is completely irrelevant," Metallia finished. "Pick one of their cities, a large one; I care not which. Destroy it as utterly as you destroyed Castle Charon."

"Your will, Great Metallia," the two Dragons answered, and their presence left the sanctum, along with a great deal of energy. Still, the vast energy expended did not greatly reduce the amount available to Metallia.

"And now, my children," the goddess said as her attention turned back to Asphara and Saturn, "we begin."

* * *

Zeus's eyes narrowed as he stared at the youma above. He thought he recognized that… "Scatter!" he yelled, shoving his sister off the rooftop. She twisted in midair to land on her feet, and did not pause as she sprinted away. As soon as he was sure she had landed safely, Zeus leapt in another direction. He was surprised to see Sailor Mercury landing beside him. The rooftop behind them vanished in a ball of fire, and the shockwave threw them across the street. 

"What is that thing?" Mercury asked as they rose painfully.

"Martian firebow," Zeus answered curtly. "Damned if I know how one lasted ten thousand years."

"Any other powers?" Mercury asked, her eyes locked on the red-winged youma that bore the weapon.

"Just the one," Zeus replied with a shake of his head, "but that's enough. Did the others get off?"

Mercury nodded.

"Good," Zeus said, then threw himself to the ground. "Watch out!"

A winged, reptilian youma swooped down behind the Senshi, and Mercury barely managed to dodge out of its path. It twisted round with surprising ease and speed to strike again. This time Mercury was ready for it. "Shine Aqua Illusion!"

The icy water struck the youma head-on, stopping its dive and knocking it to the ground. Before it could try to rise, Zeus was upon it. He pierced its chest with one thrust of his sword. In an instant, the monster was nothing but dust. The sound of another explosion came from the other side of the building. Zeus glanced up, and saw that the youma with the ancient bow's back was turned.

"Thunder Bolt!" The lightning arced up from Zeus's blade, but it sputtered and died out before it could reach the red-winged youma. She spun in midair with impossible-seeming speed. Another arrow of fire was already formed in her bow. Zeus cursed, diving for cover.

Not far away, another youma landed and engaged Sailor Mercury. The youma above, not caring that the explosion would hit her ally, loosed the arrow at the Senshi. Zeus shouted a warning, but too late.

The explosion sent Mercury flying into a nearby store's glass window. The youma she had been fighting was gone. Zeus cursed again, searching the battlefield, and found Sailor Venus had followed another youma to this side of the building. As she finished it off, Zeus pointed at the hovering youma. "Cover me!" he shouted.

Venus nodded, and a golden chain sprouted from her gloved hands, spiraling up towards the youma. Zeus raced to the broken window, only slowing to carefully slip through the glass. Inside, Mercury lay atop the shards, unnaturally still. The Champion knelt, quickly checking her pulse. He sighed in relief as he found one, weak though it was.

"Aphrodite!" he called, and less than a minute later his sister arrived. She blanched when she saw the fallen Senshi. "Is she -"

"She's alive," Zeus said. "At least for now."

Aphrodite nodded, and a golden glow formed in her hands as she knelt beside Mercury, setting her sword aside. "Go," she said to her brother. "I will do what I can."

Zeus left without a further word, returning to the battle. His presence quickly proved superfluous, as there were no youma to be found, and more Senshi and Champions present then when he had entered the store. His eyes caught Ares's. "When did you get here?"

"Just now," the Champion of Mars said.

"There was a youma with a firebow. Did it -"

"It got away." Ares spat. "Hermes is trying to track it down, but he says there's so much background noise it's getting hard to pick the youma out unless they're actually doing something."

"Background noise?" Zeus frowned. "That can't be good."

Before Ares could respond, Aphrodite emerged from the store, Mercury's still but breathing form cradled in her arms. In seconds, the gathered warriors had all clustered around her. "She'll be fine," Aphrodite said in answer to a panicked question from Sailor Moon. "She just needs a bit of rest." Sailor Moon breathed a relieved sigh, relaxing back against Endymion's strong form.

Ares grimaced. "She might not get it," he said quietly, and Zeus was not sure anyone else heard his words.

There was a strange popping noise, and everyone turned to see Sailor Pluto standing behind them. The Senshi of Time opened her mouth to speak, then staggered, barely catching her fall. For a long moment, she simply stood leaning against her staff, breathing heavily, and the sound of approaching sirens filled the air. "By the Ten," Pluto finally whispered just loudly enough to be heard. "How could I have been so blinded?"

She straightened, fixing her eyes on Sailor Moon. "You have to get ready. The youma are going to attack."

There was a moment's silence, then Poseidon responded, glancing around at the destruction. "No shit."

"Idiot." Pluto glared at the Champion. "This wasn't an attack. This was a distraction. Metallia is about to throw the portals to the Dark Kingdom wide open, and there's no limit to the number of youma she'll be able to bring through."

"We have to stop her," Sailor Moon said.

Pluto shook her head. "I'm sorry, Princess. I've failed you." She grimaced. "It's too late to stop."

Zeus cursed, and he was far from the only one.

Ares didn't waste time cursing. "We need to get back to the Shrine. It's a good, defensible position. Anything else is just asking to get picked off one by one. Hermes, see if you can put some kind of warning on the military's radio."

"I haven't had time to," Hermes began, but Ares cut him off with a rude gesture.

"Then broadcast it on every channel; I don't care. Just so long as they get the warning." Ares paused, glancing to Sailor Moon. "I assume this is all right with you, Princess?"

She nodded weakly, then shifted uncomfortably. "I need to warn my parents."

"Right," Ares said. "Endymion, Jupiter. Go with her. Either get them to the Shrine or get them out of the city."

Endymion's eyes met Ares's. "You don't need to tell me," Endymion said after a moment, and Ares nodded.

Zeus frowned. "I suppose that Aphrodite and I need to get in touch with our mom." He glanced at his sister and the burden she held in her arms. "Does anyone know how to get in touch with Mercury's mother?"

There was an uncomfortable silence, then Sailor Mars spoke. "Not unless she's at home."

"We can stop by there on the way to Usagi's house," Jupiter said.

Venus spoke up. "I'll need to… also," she finished weakly, her eyes distant.

Ares glanced at Uranus and Neptune. "Can you?"

The two Outer Senshi nodded as one, moving to stand by Venus. "Right," Uranus said to Ares. "No point in wasting time." With that, the three leapt atop a nearby building and soon were out of sight. The other two groups followed an instant later.

Pluto spoke again, shifting her grip on her staff. "There isn't enough time for this."

"You think I don't know that?" Ares asked. "But there's not a chance in hell of convincing the Princess not to try. It's still close to the same direction as the Shrine. Endymion and Cyrene will make sure they head that way if things get out of hand."

"And your two?" Pluto said.

"They can take care of themselves," Ares answered.

Pluto looked dubious, but before she could answer, the earth shuddered. She blanched. "It's starting."

"Then let's go," Ares said. "There's no more time to waste."

* * *

It was well into the evening in New York City when the earth moved. The shuddering was very light, and little damage was done, though it woke many who were already asleep. Still, an earthquake of even this magnitude would have been cause for comment, even had nothing else occurred. 

After the recent news from Tokyo, for some it was more than that. A paranoid few had already fled New York, certain that it was too risky to remain in a major city. They would be the lucky ones. Perhaps a handful more saw the earthquake as a warning sign, and resolved to flee themselves at the earliest opportunity. They would be too late.

Had it been daylight, concern over the earthquake would have been quickly forgotten. The sea was surging, a massive wave forming with unnatural speed. It grew until it was perhaps forty stories high, then doubled in height in an instant, yet did not advance. Some of the few who noticed the wave swore to their companions that they saw something moving inside the water. But still, the wave hovered motionless over the city.

High in the dark, cloudless sky, a fiery, serpentine figure appeared. Its flames cast light enough to turn night into twilight on the streets below, and it twisted and turned in the air, gazing down curiously with gargantuan eyes. It began to fly about, still examining the streets below.

The earth shuddered again, much more strongly, and the tall skyscrapers wavered. For an instant, the fiery creature's eyes turned heavenwards, and it smiled at what its unnatural sight saw. Then, its attention returned to the ground below. It dove, until its long belly almost brushed the tops of the tallest buildings, which began to bubble and melt from the heat of its passing.

In the streets directly below, panicked crowds fled, but even they knew that outrunning the monster that had appeared was almost impossible. Still, almost impossible was a better chance than impossible, and so people ran. Elsewhere, hasty phone calls were being made, and people of importance were being wakened with news they had hoped never to hear. Other nations had not turned an entirely blind eye to the various disturbances in Tokyo over the past few years. As they grew in scale and danger, so grew the fear that they would spread beyond that city, to other parts of the world. And now… that had finally happened.

No blazing firmament had appeared over New York to match the two that had graced Tokyo. Somehow, this was not a comfort. Those investigating the matter were quickly discovering that the two earthquakes had been felt at equal strength worldwide, an impossibility that already had experts screaming at each other. There were plans that had been made, contingencies that had been prepared in case something like this happened. Now, the makers of those plans wondered whether they would prove as worthless as they had always feared.

Above New York City, the fiery creature that none below knew to call Scalae, the Dragon of Fire, coiled her long body around itself, almost into a ball. The air around her rippled, waves of heat emanating from her body. She began to blaze brighter and brighter, until it seemed as light as noon on the streets below her, and her mouth began to open. Some of those fleeing her presence began to slow, staring in wonderment. Others redoubled their efforts, but would meet the same fate as those who stood.

Flame poured downwards from the Dragon's maw, a cone of infernal destruction. When it died down, there was nothing on the ground below but ash for hundreds of meters around the spot where Scalae floated, and the shockwave had shattered windows for a vastly further distance. For one strange, silent moment, all was still.

Then the Fire Dragon shot up into the sky, and the gargantuan, impossible wave that Loriel had summoned and commanded to be still came crashing down on the city.

* * *

The bright, reflected light that shone from Terra almost blinded Asphara after so long in the darkness of Metallia's hidden sanctum. For a long moment, the youma simply stared in wonderment at the blue-green orb that spread out below her, the tasks that had sent her from their to the orbit of Terra forgotten. She did not wonder that she could breathe and survive in the vacuum that surrounded her. 

Metallia's presence still engulfed her and protected her. Asphara felt almost as though she were still in the sanctum. She could still feel the void-like darkness pulsing and raging around her, the Senshi's still form by her side, and Metallia's glory and power before her. There was a strange distorted feeling to the sensation, as if it were merely an echo she felt.

Still, it was enough to remind her of the reason she was here. In her hand she held a blade of dark stone, perhaps even the same that she had used earlier, though if so there were no longer any stains on it to tell. She stared a moment at the thin, pale scar on her other palm, the only such mark on her body. Normally, when a youma survived a wound, it healed as though it had never been.

Asphara shifted the blade to her other hand. Not letting herself hesitate, she sliced at her unmarked hand, making a mirror image of the cut on the other. Pale ichor oozed out of the wound, floating off into space. The cut burned with pain, even more than it should have. Asphara wavered, and feared she might pass out.

She felt Metallia's attention, and the light-headedness passed. As she had been instructed, she released the stone dagger. It vanished in a pulse of darkness. For several moments, nothing seemed to happen.

Then Asphara felt a new burst of pain… not her own, but the Senshi's. She gasped at the strange sensation, but had no time to consider it. The storm of darkness she could half-feel raged uncontrolled, and even from her odd, removed perspective it felt as though it was about to consume her.

From out of nowhere, a white-gloved hand appeared, a bloody line drawn across its palm. Asphara reached forward with her own newly cut hand and grasped it. There was a sense of… resistance, and then the hand's owner appeared as suddenly as it had. Even though Asphara knew to expect her, she dropped Sailor Saturn's hand like it was a fiery brand, and backed away as rapidly as she could.

Saturn carried the Silence Glaive in her other hand. It glowed with a harsh, white light, and Asphara saw images that she could not name in the light, that nonetheless made her shudder in fear. An odd feeling surrounded the two, as though space itself was twisting and breaking. A vortex of dark energy surrounded them, untold power expending itself every moment.

Without words, the Senshi turned her back on Asphara and the blue-green world, which the youma almost felt she could see shaking under the forces that were being unleashed. The Senshi raised her glaive above her head, grasping it in both hands. Its light doubled and redoubled until it shone like an unholy star, and Asphara was forced to avert her eyes. Saturn brought the Glaive down, and the boundaries between worlds tore open.

Then Metallia unleashed the magic she had been weaving.

* * *

Sailor Neptune paused suddenly on a rooftop almost halfway between the scene of the recent battle and Venus's home. Her lover was by her side almost instantly. "What's wrong?" Uranus asked. 

"I," Neptune began before shuddering. "I think it's about to happen."

"It?" Uranus asked in the mere seconds before she realized what Neptune was referring to. Then she simply cursed.

Sailor Venus, who had been several rooftops ahead, finally noticed that her two companions had stopped. She quickly doubled back to rejoin them. "What are you two waiting for?" she asked irritably.

"It's happening," Neptune repeated, and Venus realized what she meant almost as quickly as Uranus had.

"Then there really isn't any time to be standing around here," Venus replied. "We have to get to my parents!"

After a moment, Uranus nodded, and the three were on the move again. Somehow, they even managed to increase their speed even over the pace they had been setting before. The nearly empty streets below sped by so quickly that the trio didn't even have time to notice the unusual stillness and quiet.

Then the earth shuddered again. The earthquake threw Neptune off her landing, but fortunately Uranus was close enough to keep her from stumbling over the edge of the building they had just landed on. Slightly ahead of them, Venus glanced back, panicked fear in her eyes. "Come on!" she said, leaping to the next building without waiting to see if the other two followed her.

The two Outer Senshi exchanged a brief glance before following. Again, the streets sped by swiftly… yet too slowly. It would still take several more minutes before they reached Venus's house. As she leapt across a street for what seemed the thousandth time, Uranus began to wonder if the youma attack had actually been designed to lure them away from the neighborhoods surrounding the Hikawa Shrine. But that would mean…

The thought provided Uranus just enough warning to somehow twist in midair to avoid the burst of dark lightning that arced down from above, making a small crater in the asphalt below. She just barely managed to catch the side of the next building with one hand. She paused for only a second before pulling herself up onto the roof, rolling to avoid another attack.

Then she had a moment to take in the situation. There were five winged youma, of vaguely reptilian form, above the three Senshi. Uranus could see Venus one building ahead, but for one fearful instant she couldn't find her partner. Then a Deep Submerge flew up from the street below. The youma scattered to avoid the magical attack, and Uranus smirked.

"World Shaking!" One of the youma seemed to evaporate from the attack, too fast moving to dodge. Uranus heard a soft thump behind her, and knew Neptune had joined her on the roof. This little ambush wouldn't be much challenge.

The attacking youma seemed to realize this, as they rapidly gained altitude until they seemed little more than black specks. Uranus cursed, knowing that there was no way to follow them.

Neptune let out a curse of her own, and Uranus turned to her in puzzlement. Neptune simply pointed ahead of them, and when Uranus looked she saw Venus almost a half-dozen blocks ahead. The other Senshi hadn't even paused in her run. Uranus cursed again, and the two began to move again, somehow pushing themselves to even greater speeds.

When the two Outer Senshi had almost caught up with her, there was a sudden, bright light in the sky. All three came to a sudden halt as they blinked rapidly, trying to clear the afterimages from their eyes. After the sudden burst of light, the day, cloudless though it was, seemed darker to Uranus.

Then she heard Neptune gasp, and realized the day didn't only seem darker. She looked up at the sun, and did not have to avert her eyes. Large, black patches covered a good portion of the sun's surface, and were visibly growing. "Sunspots shouldn't be visible from -" Uranus began, but let the useless sentence trail off without finishing.

"I'm not so certain those are sunspots," Neptune said slowly as she watched the dark patches crawling across the sun's surface.

"Then what -" Sailor Venus began.

"Metallia," Uranus interrupted, and she said the name as though it were yet another curse.

She could only watch in sick fascination as the blackness spread across the sun and the sky grew dark. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the rapidly dimming moon. She couldn't say how long the three of them stood there, watching the sun die out, but far sooner than seemed possible, the last radiance flickered and vanished. For a moment, there was only the distant light of uncountably many stars.

Then Uranus raised a trembling hand. "What the hell is that?" A new body had appeared in the starry heavens, a large, dark orb that cast enough blood-red light to create an odd sort of twilight.

It was Sailor Venus who answered, her voice seeming sick. "The Dark Moon," she whispered, half to herself.

"Nemesis."

* * *

Author's Random Ramblings 

1) Well… umm… it's been a while, hasn't it? With any luck the next chapter will not take nearly so long to write, but… my luck is not so good with this sort of thing.

2) The previous portions of this story are available at my website - - along with the prequel, Shades of Gray.

3) Thanks, as ever, to Angus MacSpon for his pre-reading.

4) Any and all comments are, also as ever, most welcome.

Started: March 25, 2004

Draft Finished: October 4, 2004

Draft Released: October 23, 2004

Final Released:


	5. Chapter 4: Nemesis Rising

Shades of Darkness  
A Sailor Moon Fanfic  
By: Aaron Nowack

Chapter 4: Nemesis Rising

"_War is Hell._"

- William Tecumseh Sherman

* * *

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is owned by Naoko Takeuchi, whose creative talents far exceed my most humble own. Distribution and other rights to Sailor Moon belong to lots of different companies that I do not own. I make or imply no claim to ownership of Sailor Moon or its characters. However, the text of this fanfic is mine, and should not be used without permission. Thank you.

* * *

Metallia stood on top of the tallest tower of Beryl's palace. She smiled as she felt first Jadeite, then Nyxan and Ishamanar teleport to stand behind her, but she did not turn to face them. Instead, she had eyes only for the titanic, darkened orb that hung in the now-starry sky overhead. That orb carried stars of its own, specks of artificial light, visible even from this great distance.

"What... what have you done?" Jadeite asked, his voice tinged with equal parts fear and awe.

For a moment, Metallia did not answer, instead simply continuing to take in the view. It had been... far too long since she had seen this sight. Far too long since she had tasted the air of true freedom, reveled in the flows of mana that danced from planet to planet. Her time imprisoned beyond the boundaries of the universe had changed her, turned her into something far more than she had been even when she had ruled the Golden Millennium, but she had never stopped longing for this moment.

Now she was free, and all those who had locked her away would face her vengeance. There would be no hope of respite, save in surrender. All that lived would serve her or die, as it always should have been. Even her unworthy descendant and the Senshi that had foolishly sworn to her would come to see that truth, and beg her forgiveness for the sin of opposing her will.

There was a flicker of darkness. Sailor Saturn and Asphara appeared before Metallia. The youma's eyes widened as she saw the three Generals standing behind the Queen, and she knelt. Saturn remained standing and said, "It has been done as you commanded, my Queen."

Metallia laughed, a smile gracing her aristocratic features as she spoke. "So it has been. You have served me well, Hotaru." The Senshi bowed slightly, but the Queen's eyes had turned to the kneeling youma. "Rise, Asphara. I am well pleased with you."

Asphara was on her feet in seconds. "Thank you, Great Metallia."

Now Nyxan spoke, if cautiously. "You have moved us to Terra's orbit?"

Now Metallia half-turned and stepped back, so that she could see the entire assembly. Her eyes caught the countless youma encampments surrounding the fortress, and she smiled at the frenzied activity she saw in them. "So I have done, my General."

"Why?" Jadeite asked.

"It will greatly... infinitely ease the transportation of youma," Ishamanar answered in his rumbling voice. "Even with no wards between the realms, it would have been more costly than simple teleportation."

"Even so." Jadeite frowned, carefully considering his next words. "My Queen, the humans of this age have achieved many things, even without magic. It is possible - however unlikely - that they might now find a way to strike at us."

"With the accursed Seal gone, it was only my will that linked the Dark Kingdom to this realm and kept it from forever vanishing into the Void," Metallia answered. "That link was a weakness that my rebellious Senshi or the Champions might have struck at."

She smiled. "Now, they can never banish us. Perhaps once they might have had the chance to destroy us," she said, and her smile deepened as her eyes turned to Saturn, "but that power is in my hands now."

Saturn simply bowed again.

"Now, General Jadeite," Metallia continued. "I have a question for you."

Jadeite paled slightly, then managed to bring his expression under control. "I will answer it if I can, Great One."

Metallia's eyes flickered back to Terra. "Why are you still here?"

Now a fierce grin came to Jadeite's face, and he made no effort to straighten it. "As you will, my Queen. I and my army will depart immediately, and Tokyo will be no more."

"So be it," Metallia said, and Jadeite vanished in a pillar of flame. Metallia's attention turned to Nyxan and Ishamanar, and the two youma Generals bowed. "I have a task for you two."

"Whatever it is, it shall be done," Ishamanar said.

"We live to serve," Nyxan added quietly.

"It is not only Tokyo that shall feel my wrath. The Dragons have already begun to destroy another of the Terrans' cities." She paused momentarily. "I do not recall its name."

Saturn's eyes flicked to the globe overhead. "It is called New York, my Queen."

"So it is. Leave that city and its region to the Dragons for now, and leave Tokyo to Jadeite as I have promised. But for the rest of Terra, allow your Overlords to select their own targets, and have them strike as soon as possible." Metallia paused, and a terrible smile again graced her face. "I believe a month of darkness and war should be enough to convince the Terrans that they can find salvation only in submission."

"How many youma?" Nyxan asked.

"However many you desire. Spawn more if the need arises. If the evidence of our first attacks holds true, it should not. The only foes with the ability to fight us will be besieged by Jadeite."

Both Generals bowed. "By your command," Ishamanar said. The two then vanished.

Metallia turned back to Asphara. "Now, Overlord Asphara, a reward."

"My Queen?" the youma asked.

"You have indeed served me well. For that service, I will allow you to be my fourth General."

"Great... Great One, I am not worthy." Asphara licked her lips nervously.

"I have decided that you are worthy, and so you shall be," Metallia said.

"Your will, Great Metallia," Asphara answered, and beside her Saturn smiled for an instant.

Metallia looked up at Terra, then returned her gaze to her servants. "And now, I have another task for you two."

* * *

Nemesis's baleful red glow cast the city of Tokyo in a strange light. The countless shadows seemed more malevolent and deeper. This was not just an illusion of the oddly colored light, for though it was - just barely - bright enough to see a short way, Nemesis was no replacement for the vanished sun. The true moon was also visible in the sky, but it was a pale, blood-stained shadow of its ordinary silver brilliance.

"What the hell are we waiting for?" Sailor Venus asked her two Outer Senshi companions. "We have to get to my house!"

"Venus," Sailor Uranus began, then shook her head. "Let's run."

"Right," Sailor Neptune agreed after a half-second, and the three set off. Still, the sudden darkness slowed their once-rapid pace across the rooftops of Juuban, for fear of slipping and falling. The remaining blocks moved by agonizingly slowly, even as the sounds of panic filled the air. Gunfire could be heard in the distance, and Uranus was not certain that it was directed at a youma.

Damn it. Every instinct she had was screaming at her to forget trying to get to Venus's house and start heading directly to the Shrine to meet the others. She didn't expect that Metallia was planning to just turn off the sun and then take a few days off.

Venus paused for a moment. "We're almost there!" she said, her voice tinged with relief.

"Then keep moving," Sailor Neptune replied. "There's no time to waste." The younger Senshi took her advice, leaping toward the next rooftop.

Then, the attack came. There was the sound of countless wings; an unspeakable chorus of inhuman roars filled the air. A series of great explosions briefly lit the artificial night, half-seen skyscrapers on the horizon vanishing in clouds of ash and smoke. The faint sound of distant gunfire became in an instant the horrible orchestra of a pitched battle.

Even as Venus landed safely on the other side of the street, the youma were upon the three Senshi. A black-skinned, winged beast with eyes of fire dove at Neptune. She leapt backward, barely avoiding the youma's claws. With a snarl, the demon ripped its hands from the rooftop, leaving a narrow crater. Without pausing, it pounced at Neptune.

It was met in midair by Sailor Uranus's golden Space Sword. Before it had evaporated to dust, five more youma landed on the rooftop, flinging fire and shadow at the Senshi. A bolt of darkness struck Neptune's lower arm as she tried to make a counter-attack. She stumbled backwards, the magic of her Deep Submerge scattered by interruption.

A gray-skinned, human-shaped youma charged her, a wicked, dark blade appearing in its hands. Neptune reacted instantly, sidestepping the demon's first strike. Her uninjured hand struck at the youma's chest. The demon was sent flying back to crash into another monster.

Neptune started at a sudden presence behind her, then relaxed as she realized that it was her lover. The two Senshi stood back to back, and Neptune used the moment's reprieve to retrieve the Deep Aqua Mirror.

"Where's Venus?" Uranus asked quietly.

"Don't know," Neptune answered curtly as a dozen youma cautiously encircled the pair. "Ready?"

She could feel Uranus smile coldly. "Let's do this."

* * *

Sailor Venus ignored the sounds of battle behind her as she leapt to the next rooftop. A youma with an shadowy, constantly shifting form awaited her. Venus speared the youma with a Crescent Beam and moved to the next rooftop, not stopping to see if the youma was slain. A flock of bird-like, black-feathered youma, attracted by the burst of light, began to circle overhead.

Venus rolled to one side to dodge a strike of dark lightning from above. She fired a Crescent Beam in response, but couldn't tell whether it hit anything. It was too dangerous, she realized, to stay on the rooftops. One of the youma overhead dove at her.

Before it reached her, she leapt to the street below. There were perhaps a half-dozen youma between her and home. Without thought, she shouted words of magic, and her Venus Love-Me Chain snapped out like an impossibly long whip. When its golden coils touched the youma, they screamed and dissolved into dust.

There was no time to celebrate this small victory, though. Venus ran, faster than she ever had before. She dodged attacks from above half-instinctively, counter-attacking whenever she could. Still, the remaining distance passed agonizingly slowly. She somehow managed a new burst of speed as her home came into sight.

Then she stopped. The ground cracked open and a circle of black flame sprung up around her. She threw up an arm to shield her face from the cold heat. When the unnatural fire died down, leaving a circle of broken, half-charred asphalt, she was surrounded.

The largest youma which stood before her stepped forward. It seemed to be no more than an empty suit of dark armor with pale green flame pouring from every gap. "Surrender," it said in a deep, rusty voice, "and our Queen may prove merciful."

Venus raised a hand, pointing directly at the youma's chest, and allowed a golden light to shine from her outstretched finger. "Get out of my way."

"Then, die in Great Meta-"

"Crescent Beam!" For an instant, the youma stood still, impaled on the spear of golden light. Then the light vanished, and it fell. Venus rolled through the sudden opening in the youma circle before the other demons could react.

She turned to face them. A lupine beast that stood on six legs leapt at her. Even as its jaws snapped at her throat, she brought up her hands, shouting "Venus Love-Me Chain!" Again the golden coils sprang into being, and the wolf youma was flung backwards by their eruption. Venus directed the chain to follow the flying monster, wrapping around it and crushing it. Silvery dust rained down on the other youma, who hesitated for a moment.

Then they attacked. There was no time to launch another magical attack. Venus met the first oncoming monster with a solid punch. She grabbed another's arm as it struck at her, sending it flying with a quick throw. She charged a red-scaled youma, her magically enhanced speed enough to bowl it over.

This bought her enough time to summon her chain again. It leapt from youma to youma at her command. When the magic was finished, only three youma remained to face her. One, a tall, thin creature with black eyes and yellowish skin, smiled, revealing a mouth full of fangs. Venus noticed the sound of beating wings above her. She glanced up, and saw several dozen youma hovering overhead. Taking a step back, she braced herself.

A ball of orange light crashed into the youma flock, destroying one of the youma and scattering the rest momentarily. In that instant, Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune leapt down from a nearby rooftop to stand by Venus's side.

There was no time for words, as the youma onslaught began. There was an indeterminate time with no thought, the nightmarish blur of heated battle. When it finally passed, there were no youma visible on the street.

Neptune panted heavily. "You shouldn't have run off like that. It's too dangerous to travel alone."

"I had to -" Venus stopped suddenly. "My parents!" She once again broke into a run, though one slowed by her exhaustion. After a moment, the other two Senshi followed.

Venus came to a sudden halt as they reached her house. "Something's wrong," she whispered as Uranus and Neptune caught up with her.

The front wall of the house exploded outward. A hulking creature of metal and muscle emerged from the dust, blood clearly visible on its steely fists. In its right hand it clutched a body, so mangled that its identity could not determined from a glance. "No," Venus said quietly. The youma roared a challenge.

"No," Venus repeated more loudly, shaking. The monster hurled the body it held to the ground and began to charge. Venus screamed wordlessly. Unformed golden light flung from her hands in an unending torrent. Even the unnaturally dark shadows cast by Nemesis were obliterated by the light, which lit the street with a light brighter than the brightest noon.

When it finally died down, there was nothing left of the massive youma. Venus wavered, almost collapsing. Uranus laid a hand on her shoulder, but could not find the words to speak. Venus shook it off and slowly walked over to kneel beside the corpse. "My father," she said coldly after a moment. She rose, and entered the house through the hole that had been the front door.

After a moment, the other two Senshi followed. When they found her mother in the living room, Venus paled, shuddering. Uranus knelt beside the bloodied form, fingers reaching for the woman's neck. She ignored the sounds of Neptune trying to comfort the younger Senshi coming from behind her.

"She's alive," Uranus said after a moment. The sounds from behind her stopped, and in an instant Venus was kneeling beside her. Her mother let out a shallow breath, her form stirring slightly.

"Can we move her?" Venus asked after a moment, her voice shaking slightly.

"I think so," Uranus answered. "I don't think she's hurt too badly."

Venus cradled her mother in her arms and rose in one smooth motion. "We don't," she said, then paused as her voice cracked with suppressed emotion. After the slightest instant she began again, her words carefully spoken. "We don't have any time to waste, do we?"

They left the house the way they had entered. When they reached her father's body, Venus stopped. "Please," was all she said, her voice breaking. Uranus picked up the body. Venus shuddered, then wordlessly began to walk toward the Hikawa Shrine.

* * *

Those Senshi and Champions who did not have family in the immediate vicinity were slightly more than halfway to the Hikawa Shrine when the invasion began. They quickly attracted substantial amounts of youma, and since that point had been fighting for every inch of progress. Ares was certain they'd killed well over a hundred of the demons in the hour they'd been fighting, but there seemed to be no end to the onslaught.

It would not have surprised him if there were more youma facing them now than an hour ago. Their progress kept slowing, and he knew that if they stopped entirely they would be buried under the demonic hordes. The last time he had fought a battle like this he had had an army at his back.

From the sound of gunfire and screams in the distance, the Japanese military were doing their fair share of fighting already, but Ares expected the size of the youma attack had already proved too much for them to contain, much less push back. The first attack had stretched them to the limit, and it had been far smaller than this.

He did not even want to consider the implications of the strange new moon that hung over the city, tainting everything with the color of blood. For the moment, all he could do was face the enemy before him, and kill them as swiftly as he could.

A winged, slimy beast dove at Ares. His blazing blade was ready to meet it and cut the youma in two. The halves dissolved before they hit the ground. Even before that, another monster had charged the Champion. After that too had been dispatched, Ares had a moment to survey the battleground.

Hades, Medea, and Poseidon had formed an armored wedge, pressing forward relentlessly if slowly. Sailor Mars stood slightly behind them, Sailor Mercury's unconscious form cradled in her arms. Hermes was fighting his way to their side. At first, Ares could not locate Sailor Pluto, but then a ball of purple energy flew over his shoulder and obliterated the youma before him.

That seemed to be the final straw, for the remaining demons scattered, and the street was clear in moments. It was only a few hundred meters to the Hikawa Shrine. For a moment, all the exhausted warriors did was relax slightly, breathing heavily. In Mars's arms, Sailor Mercury stirred. The other Senshi gently placed her on her feet. Though she wavered, Mercury managed to stand on her own.

"What's happened?" were the first words out of her lips.

"There's no time," Ares said harshly, interrupting Hermes before he could finish the first word of an explanation. "Let's get to the shrine before those youma work up their courage again." The Champion of Mercury frowned, but nodded.

Sailor Pluto glanced up at the stairway to the Shrine. "It's a trap," she commented, adjusting her grip on her weapon.

"You've seen it?" Ares asked.

"Yes." Sailor Pluto turned to face the Champion.

"How many youma?" was all Ares said in reply.

Pluto only shrugged.

Hermes and Mercury retrieved their computers almost simultaneously. "They're massing for another attack, all around us," the Champion said after a moment.

"The background levels are too high to get a good scan on the shrine," Mercury added, her voice still weak.

"Mercury. Are you strong enough to manage a teleport there?" Ares asked.

She nodded. "With help."

"Mars -"

"You don't need to tell me, Champion," she snapped harshly, interrupting Ares and grasping Mercury's hand. "Outside or inside?"

"Outside."

Mere seconds later, the street was empty.

* * *

Jadeite had meant to teleport directly to the Hikawa Shrine. It had given him no small pleasure to decide to make that place his fortress, and perhaps one day his palace. It would be but the first of many humiliations that would finally be avenged. He had thought long and hard on what form his vengeance against the Senshi themselves would take, but had reached no conclusion save that simple death was too good for them.

In any case, he was not sure why he had instead appeared in an empty, nondescript alleyway. From the sound of things, he was not far from the center of the battle that had just erupted, but as yet there was no fighting here. His eyes flicked warily from side to side, searching for some ambush.

He was somehow not surprised when a shadowy figure took shape in the air before him. It was covered in a dark cloak that hid everything beneath it. The apparition sat cross-legged in mid-air, and Jadeite found something about it... familiar. The seeming emptiness beneath the hood somehow managed to watch him expectantly.

"You are the one who spoke to me, in Beryl's palace," Jadeite said after only a brief moment's thought.

"You reason correctly, Guardian." The deep voice seemed smug, and Jadeite was certain that the cloaked... man had not forgotten that he no longer cared for that title.

If the figure wanted some reaction to that, he would be disappointed. "I am not pleased that you restored the chains Metallia placed on me."

"You would be less pleased if Serenity had noticed my hand at work. Until you left her realm, I could not risk leaving any further sign of my presence." Jadeite's visitor seemed to glance upward at the blood-red moon in the sky. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

"I do not think you are here to discuss aesthetics," Jadeite said.

"You are correct." The figure's hidden gaze returned to the General. "There is much more we should discuss."

"I would have a name from you," Jadeite said.

The figure seemed to consider this request for a moment. "You may call me Death."

Jadeite snorted. "I will call you no such thing, phantom."

There was a harsh, grating laugh. "The Death Phantom then. Will that serve?"

"That is still not a name, but it will do for now." Jadeite paused. "What is it you would speak of?"

"First, a gift for you, General." The Death Phantom extended a hand, revealing an ethereal, orange and green claw that still seemed to have once been human. In it rested a small black stone that seemed to suck up the dim light cast by the dark moon overhead.

Jadeite took it. "The Void Diamond? But it was lost at Juno!"

"The one you call Metallia retrieved it, and granted it to Beryl. After her death I took it from her chambers. And now I grant it to you, as a token of my good will."

"You have told me to seek the Diamonds. Why?"

The Death Phantom somehow seemed to smile. "Because they will be your freedom."

"How?" was all Jadeite asked.

"At the dawn of the Golden Millennium, Serenity the First forged the Ginzuishou -"

"- using the Five Diamonds, and bound it forever to her line. Your point?"

"I would have you match her accomplishment," the Death Phantom answered.

"Even if I knew how it could be done, a Ginzuishou would do me little good. I am hardly pure of heart, nor do I believe I have the strength to turn such an artifact to my will regardless."

"I will provide the knowledge. And never did I say we would create a mere copy of the Ginzuishou."

"Say more," Jadeite said, "though I think I have grasped your plan."

"We will create a mirror to the Ginzuishou, a Jakokuzuishou, dark where the Ginzuishou is light, and its equal in every fashion. With its power, you will cast down Metallia and be freed."

"And what will you gain from this, Phantom?" Jadeite smirked. "You will forgive me for not trusting that you would grant me such power out of altruism."

"You are wise not to trust so easily." The Death Phantom paused, as though considering what words to speak. "My motivation is nothing but revenge. I would see the line of Serenity extinguished forever." He paused again. "If you rise to replace it, I will not interfere."

"We shall see," Jadeite answered. "But for now, it seems our goals coincide regardless."

"You are indeed a wise man," the Death Phantom said, then chuckled at some private joke. "I cannot find the Diamonds precisely, but I know that one is on this world, and another on Luna. The last I know nothing of."

"They will be found," Jadeite answered.

The Death Phantom nodded, and began to fade away into nothingness, then solidified suddenly as a new voice spoke.

"Silence Wall." Sailor Saturn landed in between the two conspirators, the Silence Glaive alight with an unholy glare.

The Death Phantom snarled. "You. How did you evade my notice?" Saturn did not answer. "No matter." He extended one of his strange hands, and dark lightning began to crackle in it.

Jadeite willed himself to summon the power of the two Diamonds he now commanded to smite the Senshi, but instead found himself simply slipping the Void Diamond to the same pocket of space where the Flame Diamond rested. His eyes followed Saturn's trajectory back up to an overlooking rooftop, where he saw Ishamanar's consort Asphara standing.

"Go now," Saturn said, and Asphara vanished in a flicker of darkness.

* * *

The Hikawa Shrine's grounds were empty when the Champions and Senshi appeared. No battle howls met their arrival, and for a moment it was almost possible to imagine that there was no threat. The Shrine was dark and silent, offering no sign of enemies within. Yet there was Pluto's warning and the crimson moon overhead to remind them, and none lowered their guard. A cold wind blew strongly, disturbing a handful of freshly dropped leaves, but there was no other movement.

Then a shadow passed over the dark moon, a four-winged humanoid figure - the youma who had led the attack before the sky had darkened. A blazing arrow formed in the bow it carried, and the youma spoke. "Die."

Those below reacted instantly, scattering, and the youma adjusted her aim to track the largest group and fired. It took mere seconds for the arrow of flame to hit the ground. The massive explosion sent Medea and Poseidon flying to slam into the walls of the Shrine. A handful of magical attacks rose to answer the youma. A single beat of her four scarlet wings carried her away from the counterattacks with surprising speed.

"I am Rashira, humans," the youma said. Another arrow formed in her bow. "And in Lord Jadeite's name, I bring you death." She loosed the fiery bolt.

On the ground below, Ares sidestepped to stand directly in the arrow's path. His blade turned in his armored hand, and he caught the missile on the flat. He vanished in a cloud of flame and dust. When it began to die down, the first thing to be visible was his sword, now aflame itself.

Rashira snarled, rising higher with another beat of her wings. She gestured, and the ground below began to churn. Dozens of monstrosities clawed their way out of the earth amidst the human warriors. Poseidon, who had just risen, was again knocked down as another youma burst through the Shrine wall behind him.

Medea decapitated the beast even before it had left the hole it had made. The other Champions and the three Senshi were recovering from the surprise of the sudden youma assault. More youma poured out of the Shrine, and Medea had no time to notice the arrow Rashira was aiming at her.

Ares's eyes had never left the flying youma. He jumped with inhuman speed, landing on the Shrine roof. He paused only to adjust his aim before leaping again, straight at Rashira. She beat her four wings frantically, but not swiftly enough. With one strike of his blazing sword, Ares sliced the youma's stone bow in two.

Flames arced between the two halves for a moment, then Rashira dropped them. She snarled as she dove after the descending Champion. Ares twisted in midair, pointing his blade at her. "Flame Strike!" A bar of white fire flashed from his sword at the youma. Rashira straightened, bringing her wings in front of her to shield herself from the blast.

Ares landed on his side, his sword falling from his hand. Rashira stumbled as she hit the ground but did not fall. Again she spread her wings, and they began to glow brilliantly. "Die," she said again.

Before she could launch any attack, she was hit from behind by a Shine Aqua Illusion. She staggered forward, and saw that her minions had been all but dispatched. A curse on her lips, she began to summon the energy to teleport.

Moments later, she was vaporized by a storm of magic from all sides.

* * *

"Sending your friend off for help?" the Death Phantom asked Saturn. "It will not help you. I will be gone before she returns."

Jadeite tried to move, but found himself unable to muster the will, not even to utter a single word. Had he been able to, he might have told his tentative ally to finish the business and be done with it. Sailor Saturn, on the other hand, was certainly able to speak, but simply chose not to. She held the Silence Glaive before her, its blunt end firmly on the ground. The flickering distortion of the Silence Wall surrounded the three in a dome, the only thing keeping the Death Phantom from vanishing.

"You cannot hope to hold me," the spirit said as dark power gathered in its outstretched hand. A glow appeared in its hood that might have been eyes. "If I strike at you, you must divert the barrier to protect yourself or die. Either way, I will be free."

The Senshi did not respond.

The Death Phantom seemed to consider speaking again, but then simply allowed the dark energy to stream from his hand. Saturn screamed when the attack hit her, but stood her ground. She slumped over when the black lightning was finished, leaning on her weapon for support.

With a snarl, the Death Phantom attacked again, raising both hands. The pavement beneath the three began to crack and shatter, dark flames pouring from the chasms that opened. Much to his welcome surprise, Jadeite found himself freed from his paralysis to dodge the bursts of cold fire. Saturn did not move, and this time did not utter a sound as the flames washed over her. When they died down, the Senshi knelt, seemingly half-dead. But still her glaive stood upright in her hands, and still the Silence Wall enclosed them.

"Enough," came a new voice, from outside the dome. Jadeite recognized it all too easily. Metallia. He turned to face her, and saw Asphara standing half a pace behind the Queen. Saturn slowly pulled herself to her feet, and at a gesture from the Queen lowered the barrier.

In an instant, the Death Phantom began to fade away again, and Metallia smirked. "Don't be so foolish." With an almost negligent wave of her hand, she yanked the spirit back into solidity.

Saturn collapsed, the Silence Glaive falling from her fingers with a loud clatter. Metallia glanced at the fallen Senshi. "Asphara."

"Yes, my Queen." The demoness teleported to Saturn's side, kneeling to examine her wounds.

Jadeite glanced sideways at her. "You've been spying on me. Since Metallia's return?"

"Yes," was all Asphara said.

"I underestimated you," Jadeite continued. "I won't do it again." No matter how hard he tried, he could not stir himself to flee, or even to futilely test his might against Metallia.

In the meantime, the Queen had approached the Death Phantom, who floated motionless. "Well, well. What is it that has sprung my little trap?" Metallia said. "I do not recognize you."

"Serenity," the Death Phantom hissed. "I recognize you."

Metallia laughed. "Curious. There are not many who would call me that name. I thought I was aware of all of them, but you are not one of those foolish Champions."

The Death Phantom said nothing.

Metallia did not seem to care. "I presume that you are one of the two who so annoyed my Dragons on Pluto. The dark mage, I would guess. Who would your ally be?" When the Death Phantom did not break his silence, the Queen's attention turned to Jadeite. "General, speak of what you know."

Jadeite felt no compulsion to answer, but he knew it was well within the Queen's power to create one. "He calls himself the Death Phantom. He proposed an alliance with me, to -"

Jadeite stopped speaking as the Death Phantom suddenly attacked. Metallia was flung backward by the unexpected strike, and for a moment it seemed the dark lightning would throw her through one of the alley's walls. Then she righted herself in midair, forcing the lightning aside with a snarl and an angry wave of her right arm.

"That was unwise of you, spirit." Metallia's eyes narrowed as she studied her enemy, black oblivion gathering in her hands.

The Death Phantom laughed. "It was unwise of you to lower your guard." He raised both arms, and a pillar of blackness descended from the unnaturally dark sky, crashing down on Metallia. The Queen grunted as she raised an arm to shield, staggering under the force of the strike.

Jadeite felt Asphara's sharp claws pierce the back of his gray jacket, lightly resting on his skin. "Don't move," she said, and after a moment Jadeite nodded. He doubted that he could have joined his tentative ally, even if he had tried.

For the moment, the dark queen seemed pinned by the Death Phantom's strike, all her energy bent on keeping the dark pillar from consuming her. However, all her foe's power was likewise spent trying to overwhelm her defenses. Had he diverted even the tiniest amount to take advantage of Metallia's focus, she would have easily defeated the first attack. For long moments the two powers strove to outlast the other.

Then, at long last, the dark pillar vanished, and the Death Phantom lowered his arms. For a moment, his opponent slumped, breathing heavily. Then Metallia straightened herself and smiled. She stretched out one arm, and blackness gathered in it. "Submit to me, or die."

"I am hardly finished yet, Serenity." Black lightning began to dance between the Death Phantom's hands.

"A pity. One of your strength would have been a worthy servant," Metallia said. She sighed, and a beam of darkness leapt from her hand. The Death Phantom's lightning rose to meet it, but was swept aside in an instant. He screamed as the ray pierced him. When it struck the ground behind him, chunks of shattered pavement began to vanish. The Death Phantom himself wavered, flickering in and out of existence.

The spirit's screams were not enough to drown out the sudden gasp from the mouth of the alleyway. "Wiseman!"

Metallia's gaze went to the cry, and Jadeite's followed. The instant Metallia's attention wavered, the Death Phantom recovered, vanishing without a word.

Jadeite took in the three that stood in the street outside the alley. Sailor Moon. Sailor Jupiter. Endymion. Jadeite felt Asphara's claws leave their position on his back, and he smiled.

"This should be fun."

* * *

This day had not been a terribly pleasant day for Sailor Moon. It seemed like years since she had left her home for the Hikawa Shrine. Since then, she had killed an old friend, had his shade thank her for it, gone on patrol, fought off a youma attack... and that was merely what had happened before Sailor Pluto had arrived to warn them that Metallia's true strike was yet to come. Now, the sun had vanished from the sky, replaced by scarlet Nemesis, and Tokyo was under assault by a youma force that made even the largest past incursions seem pathetic.

To make things worse, this invasion had occurred before she and her two companions could reach her house to warn her family of the coming danger. They had briefly checked Ami's house before the sun had darkened, but to no one's surprise Ms. Mizuno had not been home. Perhaps two dozen youma had attacked them since then, and though easily defeated the demons had delayed their progress further. Then Sailor Moon had felt a source of terrible dark power along their route, and the three had had no choice but to investigate.

There were very few things she had expected less to find when she peered into the alley than Metallia fighting Wiseman, while Jadeite and a youma looked on. Any thought of remaining unnoticed had fled Sailor Moon's mind, and a startled "Wiseman!" had escaped her lips. Almost instantly, Metallia turned to her, and the Death Phantom vanished.

"This should be fun." Sailor Moon ignored Jadeite's statement, staring almost hypnotized at Metallia. It was disquieting, how familiar she seemed. At Castle Charon, she had hardly noticed how alike they looked. Now, it was hard to ignore. Metallia's hair, though dark, was bound into the same style as her own. Eyes of the same shade of bright blue as her own stared out at her from a face that, though cast into a sneer Sailor Moon hoped she would never wear, was not terribly different than how she might look when she became Queen of Crystal Tokyo. The golden crescent moon on Metallia's forehead glowed softly, and Sailor Moon could feel a warmth grow under her tiara in response.

"I do not suppose that you have come to kneel at my feet," Metallia said after a moment.

Beside Sailor Moon, Sailor Jupiter growled and acted before either her Prince or Princess could respond. "Sparkling Wide Pressure!"

The globe of electricity sped at Metallia, who blinked as it neared. The dark queen raised a finger, and the ball shattered into a thousand sparks, vanishing an instant later. Jadeite stepped forward, flames gathering in his hands, but Metallia waved him off before speaking. "I hope that is not the extent of your powers, Kino Makoto. It would not do for me to have such a pathetic servant."

"Why you -" Jupiter began, then stopped as she realized what name Metallia had used. "You know -"

"Of course I know." Metallia smiled. "My dear Hotaru was very forthcoming." Her eyes flicked back to Asphara. "How are her wounds?" she asked, and for the first time Sailor Moon noticed Saturn's still form lying farther back in the alleyway.

The demoness started. "She is badly hurt, my Queen. I helped her as best I could, but -"

"Let me heal her." Sailor Moon spoke without thinking, her hand going to the Ginzuishou.

"Usagi," Endymion breathed, laying a hand on her shoulder.

Metallia raised an eyebrow. "And have you attempt to turn one of my favorite tools against me once again? I think not." Metallia laughed suddenly. "Of course, you could always return the Ginzuishou to me, and I would use it to heal her myself."

Sailor Moon's hand went instantly to her broach, cupping protectively around it. Even the thought of the power Metallia would command with the Ginzuishou sent a tremor down her spine. "No," she said.

Endymion's grasp on her shoulder strengthened. "You said that she was one of your favorite tools. I doubt you will let her die," he said.

"You are correct, of course," Metallia admitted. "I am not so foolish as to let a weapon like her slip my grasp simply to watch the anguish on your faces." She laughed again. "As pleasant an experience as that would be."

"You," Jupiter growled, and almost leapt at Metallia before restraining herself.

Metallia rolled her eyes. "I see you will have much training to do when you come to serve me, Makoto. Though rabid attack dogs have their purposes, my Senshi should be more controlled."

Restraint abandoned, Jupiter charged the dark queen. Metallia casually summoned a wave of darkness that stopped the Senshi in her tracks. She grunted in pain, stumbling back several steps.

"Did you really think that would accomplish anything?" Metallia asked, her voice bored. "If it were my will, you would already be dead. Think on this lesson until I have further time to instruct you." Metallia gestured again, and bone-white vines sprouted from the shattered pavement, growing with unnatural speed to entangle and raise Jupiter, poisoned thorns piercing her flesh. Jupiter screamed, and the dark goddess smiled. "And now for you, Princess."

"Let her go," was all Sailor Moon said.

Metallia blinked in surprise, and laughed again. "No. I will not. I will take her to the dark places where the Void draws near and show her the true nature of the universe. I will break her. I will reforge her and scourge her of her weakness. She will hate me for it, and then she will love me for it. She will offer herself willingly to me, and the next time you see her she will fight at my side."

Jupiter struggled against the vines that bound her. "Never," she snarled.

"Oh?" Metallia said with another laugh. "You will be surprised to learn what you are capable of, given the right encouragement."

The captive Senshi snarled, and managed to free one arm from the vines. Lightning crackled in her fingers for a moment, then another white tendril grew with unnatural speed, wrapping itself around her arm and yanking it to point at Sailor Moon. Jupiter let the half-formed magic die, and Metallia smiled softly. "Futile," she said simply.

"I said to let her go!" Sailor Moon pulled the Ginzuishou from her brooch and there was a flare of silver light. When the light faded, Princess Serenity floated in an aura of power where Sailor Moon had stood. The crescent on her forehead blazed with a golden brilliance and the Ginzuishou was a small, silver sun in her hands. The crimson taint of Nemesis's light was for the moment washed away.

As the silver light shone on the white vines that bound Sailor Jupiter, they withered away and retreated back into the ground. The freed Senshi dropped to the ground, bleeding freely where the vines' thorns had stuck her. In moments, those wounds faded away, and Jupiter rose, lightning crackling in her hands.

Metallia frowned. "Asphara."

"My Queen?" The youma's voice was nervous, and she shrank back from the silver light.

"Keep the Senshi busy. Jadeite, deal with Endymion."

Jadeite raised a hand to summon a blade of flame before he realized what he was doing. Then he paused. How had he fallen so quickly back into the role of Metallia's servant? The fiery blade wavered.

Metallia snarled. "Do not try my patience, General. I will not be so busy instructing my heir that I could not spare a moment to educate you as well." Jadeite grimaced, but his sword reformed in his hands.

Jupiter moved first, charging Asphara. With a wordless cry she loosed the lightning from her hands, and the youma vanished in a crack of thunder. "Is that it?"

With a flicker of darkness, Asphara reappeared in the air above the Senshi. "Hardly," she sneered. Blades of black bone sprouted from her arms, dripping with her own ichor and radiating dark power. She dove, and her bone weapons nearly removed the Senshi's head.

Jadeite had begun to slowly circle Endymion, his fiery blade raised in a guard position. The Prince's sword was ready, but he did not move to attack. After a moment, Jadeite grimaced and hurled himself at his opponent. Endymion effortlessly blocked the first blow, and Jadeite retreated slightly.

"Better than I recalled," Jadeite said mockingly, "but not good enough, my Prince."

Endymion's grip tightened on the hilt of his sword. "Try me."

Metallia simply stood, watching the Princess and the battles with a slight smile. "Come now, Princess. Strike me, and let us see what you can do without your servants to aid you."

Princess Serenity frowned, and the Ginzuishou's silver light redoubled. The sudden brightening distracted Asphara, and Jupiter managed to get in a good blow and retreat far enough to call on her magic again. The Princess had no time to notice this, however, as she attacked.

A protective, flickering aura of blackness came into being around Metallia as the silver light sped toward her. Waves of power radiated from an outstretched arm as she prepared her counterattack, but they faltered and the Queen's eyes widened in surprise as the silver beam passed harmlessly over her shoulder.

Behind Metallia, Sailor Saturn's still form was engulfed in a silver glow. By the time Metallia glanced backward to see it, Princess Serenity's magic was already at work, and the fallen Senshi's numerous wounds were all but gone. For an instant, a furious snarl appeared on Metallia's face.

"Clever," she said once her face had smoothed, "but foolish, Princess." She idly waved an arm, and waves of darkness assaulted the Princess from all sides. The silver light around Saturn flickered and died as Princess Serenity was forced to defend herself.

Neither combatant could spare the attention to notice Sailor Saturn slowly pulling herself to her feet behind Metallia.

* * *

Asphara stepped to one side, dodging the Sparkling Wide Pressure her opponent had thrown while she was distracted by the Princess's magic. Ichor dripped from the terrible wounds her bone blades had torn open when they emerged from her arms, but she did not feel the pain. She smiled and clenched her fists. "My turn," she said, and dark lightning crackled in her hands.

Jupiter tensed, and the youma threw the two black globes. Before they reached the Senshi, Asphara charged, moving almost as quickly as her magic. The first dark ball Jupiter dodged, rolling aside and letting it impact the wall behind her. The second attack twisted in mid-air to follow her, but she was ready.

"Sparkling Wide Pressure!" The true lightning collided with Asphara's attack with a loud crack, and both vanished. Jupiter barely had time to rise into a defensive stance before the youma herself was upon her.

The first swipe of Asphara's black blades was far faster than the Senshi had anticipated. A lock of hair tumbled from her head, evidence that her dodge had not been quite fast enough. The youma general smiled, and pressed the attack. This time Jupiter was prepared, and easily dodged the first two strikes.

The third was too fast, and Jupiter was forced to block the sharp bone with her gloved forearm. The strange fabric was tougher than it looked, but Asphara still drew blood. Still, it was better than losing a hand, and perhaps her life.

Asphara backed off slightly. She raised her arm to her face, licking the flecks of blood off the bone. "You taste good," she said, smirking.

Jupiter grimaced and took the offensive. She landed a strong punch to the youma's gut, but Asphara didn't seemed fazed. A sideways swipe of her bladed arms was all it took to force Jupiter to retreat. Still grinning, Asphara attacked, and the Senshi had no choice but to keep backing up.

When she was only a few steps from the wall, she leapt upward instead of continuing her retreat. Her magically boosted muscles propelled her far higher than was possible for a normal human, and she landed lightly on the rooftop of the building behind her. Asphara seemed amused. "Do you think that will save you, Senshi?" she asked, and with a beat of her powerful black wings, she took to the air once more.

The demoness again moved far faster than Jupiter had expected. She had no time to launch her magics, but a plan came to her. Without wasting time on thought, she leapt again, directly at Asphara. Her boot planted itself firmly on the youma's face, sending her spiraling toward the ground. Snarling, the youma righted herself with another beat of her wings.

Jupiter had no such option and landed poorly. When she tried to rise her legs gave way, and she fell back into a kneeling position. Asphara laughed and landed a few feet away. "You lose, Senshi." Her bone blades swung at Jupiter's head.

Jupiter caught one blade in each hand. Asphara's eyes widened in shock, and she tried to pull away. Jupiter's hands were on fire with pain. She could feel dark energy and poison seeping into her wounds, but she tightened her grip. "No," she said. "I win.

"Supreme Thunder!"

* * *

"Try you?" Jadeite asked with a laugh. "I have already taken your measure, my Prince, and found it wanting. The only question is how long I will choose to take killing you."

Endymion shifted his stance slightly. That was all the warning the Dark General had before Endymion attacked. Jadeite raised his sword of fire to block. For a moment, the blades were locked, and they tested each other's strength. Then Jadeite's sword was forced aside, and Endymion's struck downward, hardly slowed. The general darted out of the way, but the tip of the sword scored a light scratch across his chest.

"You'll find I have hidden strengths," Endymion said.

Jadeite smiled. "As do I." His sword vanished and he extended his hands, fire gathering in them. "Hellfire!" A pillar of white flame hurled itself at the Prince. Endymion brought his cloak around to shield himself, but still the attack knocked him back against a wall. He almost went through it, but then the fire died out and he slumped to the ground, sword falling from limp hands.

Jadeite advanced on his fallen foe, a wide grin on his face. "You have no idea how many thousands of years I've been waiting for this, my Prince." He laughed. "I might even have to thank Metallia for this chance."

"Save your thanks," Endymion said, a rose leaving his hands with a crack like thunder. The unlikely-seeming projectile flew straight and fast at the general's face.

Jadeite's gloved hand moved faster, snatching the flower mere inches from his face. For a moment he stared at the rose, a deep red that was almost black. "Worthless," was all he said.

Then he screamed, as golden lightning burst from the stem of the rose, crackling all over his body. "Surprise," Endymion grunted as he forced himself to rise. His sword almost leaped to his hand, and he charged.

Jadeite tried to dodge, but the blade still took him in the shoulder, almost severing the arm. Endymion drew black the blade for another strike, but Jadeite attacked first. His uninjured arm, wreathed in flames, struck at Endymion's armored chest. The blow staggered his foe, and Jadeite snarled, his hand going to his wound. Black flames washed over it, and when he removed his hand the bleeding had stopped.

"I'm through playing with you," he said. Darkness boiled off of him, streamers of blackness reaching hungrily for his foe. He removed the Void Diamond from his uniform jacket, and it shone darkly in his hand. Endymion threw another rose, but it withered away to dust as it neared Jadeite. The general smiled. "Die, my Prince."

Like hungry jaws, walls of darkness rose from the tortured pavement beneath Endymion. Even the Ginzuishou's silver light, shining from the Princess's confrontation with Metallia, could not penetrate the blackness. As the darkness snapped shut, something seemed to move in the void it created, something hungry. For an instant, Jadeite was almost disturbed. Then he laughed, reveling in the power he had summoned.

Until the darkness shattered, revealing Endymion standing no worse for the wear. "I am not ready to die yet, Guardian."

Jadeite froze in shock, and his aura of blackness vanished, the now truly dark Void Diamond almost slipping from his hands. "How?"

Endymion smiled as he threw himself forward, his sword headed for Jadeite's neck. "You missed. Again."

Jadeite stumbled backward to avoid the blow, snarling as he remembered how he had somehow failed to kill Tuxedo Mask during the fateful battle at the airport. He again summoned his fiery blade, blocking Endymion's next strike. "You have more lives than a mooncat, wretch. I swear I will be there when they run out."

Endymion only laughed.

* * *

Sailor Saturn slowly stirred, her mind afire with conflicting thoughts and emotions. Part of her wanted to just curl up into a ball and wait for the turmoil to subside, but both sides to the conflict were in firm agreement that action was called for. She slowly rose, her hand unthinkingly reaching for the haft of her glaive.

The cool metal warmed instantly under her touch, and the weapon resonated with a silent hum of welcome that she knew no other could hear. Its immense, restrained power offered itself to her, as always eager to be unleashed. Unlike the warring impulses in her mind, it did not seem to care where it was directed, and the confused Senshi took some comfort in that.

She ignored the lesser confrontations, focusing instantly on the massive spectacle of magical power that was the battle between Metallia and the Princess. Dozens of beams of silver and darkness lanced through the air from one to the other, each instantly and perfectly blocked by its opposite. Neither seemed to have noticed her awakening. Saturn could easily tell that the elder Serenity was holding back, toying with her heir.

Part of her knew this meant that her interference was not necessary, and that she should attend to the other fights, knowing that her Queen's victory was inevitable. The other side of her felt equally strongly that this meant that she must intervene at once, before her Princess could be overpowered. Torn between the conflicting impulses, Saturn stood paralyzed, and the comforting music of the Silence Glaive turned frenzied and impatient.

A lucky silver beam darted past Metallia's initial defenses, to be stopped inches from her face by a dark shield that instantly sprung into existence. In retaliation, waves of dark fire poured over the Princess, barely diverted by the flickering silver aura she summoned. Saturn smiled at this, and half of her raged at the simple expression. The Silence Glaive vibrated in her hand, again demanding to be used.

It was far too quiet for any of distracted combatants to hear, but Saturn's unnaturally keen ears picked up the sound of footsteps approaching along the rooftops. As they neared, her gaze rose to meet them. Then, all her inner turmoil finally ceased.

For an instant, both sides of her were united in pure rage and the desire to kill. Here were foes she felt no resistance to facing, and she leapt into the air instantly, the Silence Glaive's howl of triumph resonating soundlessly in her ears. As she passed over the conflict between Metallia and the Princess, the weakened impulses she now knew to be foreign to her fled, leaving only what she was certain were her true loyalties.

She landed lightly on the rooftop, intercepting the newcomers before they could get a clear picture of the battles below. Her glaive whirled in a low arc, almost removing one of the two's legs at the knees. They retreated slightly, bringing their own weapons up into defensive positions.

"Oh, this is just wonderful," Aphrodite said as her blade began to glow with a golden light.

"Watch yourself," was all Zeus said as the two moved in to attack.

Sailor Saturn grinned, feeling as joyful as her weapon. "Die, Champions."

* * *

As Saturn leapt overhead, Metallia glanced upward to follow her path, and saw who it was she attacked. A disturbingly wide smile appeared on her face. "Good girl," she said, in the same tone of voice one would use to compliment a pet.

Princess Serenity risked a glance backward, and she trembled at what she saw. For an instant, her defenses faltered. Metallia pressed her advantage, striking the Princess a half-dozen times with weak, deliberately glancing strikes. "Pay attention," the Queen said mockingly. "I'm your opponent."

The Princess's gaze quickly returned forward, and she managed to stave off the next wave of attacks. Still, she could feel herself beginning to tire. The last time she had fought Metallia she had enjoyed the support of all the Senshi and Champions, and been evenly matched. Now she was alone and struggling though Metallia had not unleashed even a quarter of the power she had shown at Castle Charon. The dark queen was toying with her.

"She will be mine forever, you realize," Metallia said. "The weak Hotaru you knew is gone, and only my slave remains."

The Princess's eyes narrowed. "I will free her."

Metallia laughed. "Futile hopes are only weakness, girl. You will fail."

"No," Princess Serenity said. She steeled herself and drew forth what little power she still held in reserve, flinging another silver bolt at her foe.

"Because you believe?" Metallia asked. "In love? In friendship? In trust?"

Princess Serenity's eyes widened. In their final battle that seemed so very long ago, Beryl - or had it truly been Metallia? - had asked her those same questions. Now, she gave the same reply.

"Yes," she answered. "I still believe." Nothing in her many battles had changed that.

"Fool," Metallia said. "They are nothing but illusions. There is nothing but strength and weakness. But you believe, and because of that you are weak." She smiled. "You will learn, though. Tell me, do you believe their love helped your false family escape the youma I sent to kill them?"

For an instant, Princess Serenity froze. Her dress evaporated, replaced by her Senshi uniform as she faltered. Metallia's darkness closed in, and Sailor Moon numbly raised the Ginzuishou again, summoning forth a weak defense. Strange emotions churned in her. Not even when Beryl's youma had slain the other Senshi before her eyes had she felt this way.

It was pure rage, she realized, and her numb disbelief fell away before it. As her anger overtook her, her defenses faltered again, and the Ginzuishou grew dim and lifeless in her hands. Metallia attacked again, beams of pure oblivion racing to obliterate her.

Sailor Moon screamed her fury to the black heavens, and poured it into the dull gem she still held aloft, forcing it to obey her will. Silver-tinged darkness sprung from the Ginzuishou, consuming Metallia's attack and continuing onward. Metallia raised a shield, but still was thrown backward by the force of the onslaught.

Metallia laughed, and Sailor Moon saw what she had done. She shuddered, and her attack vanished, the Ginzuishou almost dropping from her suddenly shaking hands. Metallia applauded, laughing again. "Wonderful! I see that I have much less to teach you than I had feared."

Sailor Moon fell to her knees, unable to force herself to stand.

Metallia smiled. "I will grant you a reward for the pleasant surprise, Princess. Your companions may keep their lives." She gestured, and Asphara and Jadeite appeared at her side in flickers of darkness and flame. The youma was barely able to stand, but Jadeite only looked furious to have been interrupted. "Hotaru!" Metallia called sharply after a moment.

The Senshi broke off her battle with the Champions above, jumping backward to land slightly behind the Queen. Her face was smooth, but her eyes showed her to be even less pleased than Jadeite to be called away. She did not even glance at the kneeling Sailor Moon.

"Champions!" Metallia said, looking upward at Zeus and Aphrodite. "You should thank the Princess, for due to the potential she has shown me today I will grant you a great gift. You alone among your kind will be allowed to survive my victory and serve me."

"You haven't won yet," Zeus said harshly.

"Is that so?" Metallia laughed a final time, then she and her companions vanished.

* * *

Author's Random Ramblings

1) This chapter took... longer than expected. Hopefully at least a few people out there remember this story. In a not unrelated matter, this is one of the few chapters for which completed but unused scenes exist - including one which I actually dropped for being too dark, believe it or not. I may decide to release it as an extra.

2) Any and all comments of any sort are most welcome.

3) As ever, many thanks go to Angus MacSpon for prereading this story.

Started: October 23, 2004

Draft Finished: June 12, 2005

Draft Released: June 26, 2005

Final Released: June 30, 2005


End file.
